Say It Again
by VanillaSlash
Summary: Post-MaiOtome Natsuki never should have authorized those new security cameras stationed around Garderobe... "I'm serious, come with me... You aren't happy here, Natsuki." "Says who?" "Your heart." "Says you, then?" MaiNat
1. Say It Again

**Fic**: Say It Again

**Rating**: T—why not...

**Warnings**: Bwahaha, finally some form of **revenge** for the MaiNat-fans of the world! :D Some Voyeurism, depending on how mercifully you judge Yohko...

**Genre**: Romance/Drama

**Pairing**: MaiNat, Mai Tokiha/Natsuki Kruger.

**Background**: Mai Otome Universe. Post Mai Otome series.

**Disclaimer:** The amount of ownership I possess over Mai Otome can be expressed by the number of times Miss Maria has laughed for any reason other than to express joy at others' pain… XP

**Additional Notation**:

Wow, I never get anything done! T-T This is great! XD Now if only I could finish something that I actually get _graded_ on... -_-"

I decided awhile ago that I've been freeloading on my favorite fandom (the MaiNat community) for too long! :P Therefore, as a major shout-out to Kago, (or, rather, **underthemoonbeam** as she's fondly known as on YouTube,) whose 21st birthday went down like a cheesy porn plot on May 4th, I hereby present for universal criticism and enjoyment: **Say It Again**!

* * *

Natsuki Kruger had never considered the ramifications of allowing Yohko to lace the campus grounds with live security feeds after curfew had begun. As a matter of fact, it had seemed like a perfectly plausible proposal at the time. What with people like Nao sneaking off campus at all hours of the night (and people like Mashiro-sama storming _onto_ campus grounds to shout at Arika for one thing or another), a little extra surveillance would certainly not go amiss in these dangerous times when Schwartz was still afoot.

In the aftermath of Duke Nagi's attacks—and subsequent imprisonment—things had remained relatively peaceful—if tense—around Windbloom as well as Garderobe. Even so, Yohko had insisted on installing some extra protection for the students of the Academy—endorsed fully by Miss Maria, though her motivations (catching students out of bed) were slightly different.

"Who would have figured this would be so _boring_!"

Either way, the Head Scientist was now sincerely regretting her agreement to operate the control room for the first week to check for bugs in the system. Only coffee and pride kept her awake, and staring flatly at the completely inactive screens glaring back at her. For their part, the interfaces seemed annoyed at her being there as well—but that could have been the coffee tricking her into thinking that, too…

Allowing herself a pitiful sigh, the brunette cast about leisurely from location to location, wishing desperately for something—anything!—to happen.

"Isn't the hope for nothing to happen?"

Yohko spun around in her revolving chair, stilling her heart with one hand while reaching for something sharp with her other. Both actions ceased abruptly as a flash of red and glasses spurred her mind to recognition.

"Ah, sorry Yohko-sensei." Irina adjusted her glasses with a grin. The tray of freshly cut fruits, golden toast and crisp bacon was more incentive for forgiveness than words. The violet-eyed woman accepted the breakfast plate gratefully, licking her lips in anticipation.

"Thank you, Irina-chan. I haven't been out of this room for hours."

"Only a few more days to go though, right?" the redhead supplied helpfully, collecting the dirty dishes from her last visit. "You know, these vampiric hours that you're keeping can't be healthy."

Yohko grinned at her favored apprentice. "And the same to you, girl. Shouldn't you be abed? There are classes tomorrow—sorry, _today_—you know."

The student stuck out her tongue petulantly. "Ah, the thanks I get for being helpful!" she back out of the room in mock indignation.

"You know I appreciate you." The brunette raised her juice glass in a toast. "And because that's so, I'll return the favor and bid you a-shoo!"

The Coral's laughter lasted even as she disappeared through the threshold, until it faded with the girl down the hallway toward, presumably, the dormitories. And, if not, Yohko would know.

Shaking her head in amusement at the thought, Yohko turned back to watching over Garderobe with renewed vigor.

"At least the scenery is nice," she told herself, taking a long swing from a hidden flask that Irina had _not_ brought with her. Yohko downed the sake reverently, noting the aged flavor and choice taste. There was some benefit to being Head Scientists—one of which being that, after awhile, people stopped questioning the items she called for to conduct an experiment.

Reclining in her chair, Yohko spared a leisurely glance at her wall of responsibly. Apparently, they were going to assign Pearl students to monitor the cameras after the first trial week—

Yohko nearly choked.

Mai Tokiha was named to be the only Otome of the Black Valley province after its introduction into civilization once more. So, why would such a valuable person be here at Garderobe, leaning on the rail of the State Guesthouse's balcony with a thoughtful expression on her pretty face?

A change in the glass double doors behind the Meister caused Yohko to gasp dramatically, leaning as far forward as she dared like a viewer of some cheesy soap opera. The action was justified, however, in the scientist's defense. In fact, she would have been justified in pressing the emergency panic button mounted on the wall a few feet away, her surprise was so great!

Natsuki Kruger—the Gakuenchou of all people!—stepped carefully out onto the balcony and into the cold night air. A warm red scarf, the likes of which Yohko vaguely recognized to be the same article that Tokiha was often seen with coiled around her neck in her Materialized state, was wrapped around her otherwise exposed fair form. The bright cotton coiled around the swell of her breasts and skipped her midsection altogether, only to cover a much more—Yohko blushed, wondering if she should look away—_sensitive_ area.

* * *

A light yawn of sleepiness escaped Mai's lips. The cool air of the East-blowing winds carried the fresh scent of the Garderobe Forest trees in their currents, mixing their aroma with sweet flowers lining the gardens below. The bright moon shone its pale light upon the scenery of the ungodly early morning, too late to be called midnight yet too early to be called dawn.

"You're leaving now?"

The redhead blinked, startled, before turning to face the woman she cared a great deal about with a softened expression.

"That's right. I must return to the Black Valley by sunrise or there'll be trouble." The Meister leaned back on the railing gracefully, dressed in her full-length crimson uniform that complemented the Fire String Ruby in her ear; a sharp contrast to her lover's nude form.

Natsuki shivered at the low temperatures, but did not retreat inside for something more modest. Her milky skin glowed ethereally in the moonlight and her inky hair matched the dark sky.

"Why can't you stay?" Natsuki demanded with a hurt expression, wrapping her arms tightly about her chest. Her lover's thick scarf remained tied tightly around her bare hips and the top of her slender thighs, but the length that had been wound across her chest now fluttered uselessly in the wind near the patio stone. Under normal circumstances, the Second Column would have been mortified at her state of undress—however, her distraught disposition rendered the situation far different from normal.

The former Zipang princess lifted a hand and brushed the Gakuenchou's cheek affectionately, eliciting a lovely blush despite the latter's resentment. "Why can't you go?" she countered.

Natsuki visibly stiffened, emerald eyes lined with thick, dark lashes widening.

"I'm serious, come with me," Mai insisted, her lips curving to form a determined frown. "You aren't happy here, Natsuki."

The Gakuenchou scowled, disliking her private emotions being dictated. "Says who?"

"Your heart."

"Says you, then?" Kruger quipped, earning a giggle.

"I hope so… At least consider it, lovely." Mai circled to stand directly behind the indecisive female, wrapping her arms about the other's slender waist. "You'll be my brilliant queen, calculating the future of such a young nation with that sly grace that you seem to radiate. You've seen how the Valley has grown, nee? All those people… You could make such a _difference_ there, Natsuki…"

"I'm obligated to make great strides here as well," the bluenette dwelled, dazzling emerald eyes flitting across the expanse of campus before them. "Though there is always so much to do…"

"That's true," Mai conceded, her hot breath caressing the shell of the nearly-bare woman's ear. Somewhere in the conversation, Tokiha's fingers had entwined themselves in dark, luxurious locks. "Founder knows where this place would be without you." The last was said with a grin.

An image of Miss Maria seated primly in a dictator-like throne room with students shackled to desks lining the walls like soldiers and Haruka Armitage running rampant made Natsuki grimace. "Trading one plate of responsibilities for another?" Evergreen irises met lavender in wily laughter. "You do know how to make people hesitate."

"Then instead be my beautiful mistress," the redhead purred, rubbing the skin of Natsuki's smooth stomach beneath her palms in slow circles, causing the muscles to quiver. "My lovely mistress that may do anything she wishes whenever she pleases, with no responsibilities and no paperwork. You cannot deny that you've earned it, right?"

"It would be too strange to do nothing all day," the Second Column hummed, leaning back, closer into the embrace.

Mai gave an unseen smile. "You certainly are difficult to persuade… already a queen, in your own right; an ice queen."

"People don't really call me that, right?"

"More than you'd ever know, _milady_."

Natsuki tossed her head back and laughed, dark good looks glowing. "Any other tempting offers, Tokiha?" she teased, nuzzling Mai's neck without turning around. "An amazing final proposal, perhaps?"

"Hm…" Mai tapped her chin, voice thoughtful. "One."

Natsuki quirked a fine eyebrow curiously, waiting to hear this incredible pass with closed eyes. The night really was lovely, and in the arms of her lover, the cold had lost interest in nipping her skin. Yes, with Mai caressing her left hand just like that, the crickets chirping musically in the background were far lovelier than the most disciplined of chorus.

Something cool and metal was slipped onto her finger.

Natsuki's eyes snapped open.

"Then… be my wife, Natsuki. My equal in absolutely everything."

Gorgeous green eyes, wide as dinner plates, trembled in shock as they stared together disbelievingly down at the female's own perfect ivory hand.

Fixed flawlessly in the gold band decorating her ring finger was a blood-red ruby with smaller orange stones set around it.

"Mai… this can't be—?"

"My Master ring?" the lavender-eyed woman anticipated the question. "Of course it can. And it is."

Tokiha steered her lover around by the shoulders to face her. The right of those milky arms curled loosely around to cover her bare bust… the vivid color of her crimson sash a striking contrast to the fair skin of Natsuki's willowy body… _Founder_, that sweet scent of the bluenette's hair was driving her to distraction!

"I'm tired of sneaking around like you're some sort of courtesan." Mai's grip on her tightened fractionally, but Natsuki made no move to back away. "Someone to visit for one night only, often gone by next morning's sun without a word… And while I hope you enjoyed my gifts left behind in carefully wrapped packages when you woke, I hardly find solstice in what it implies about our relationship."

Bottle-green orbs finally looked up from the exquisitely crafted piece of powerful jewelry, meeting irises of lilac with a suspiciously glossy film coating them. "Mai… I don't understand where this is coming from. Why…?"

Strawberry lips curved playfully. "Isn't that the most obvious? I want the world to now that Natsuki is _mine_."

Kruger giggled lightly, taking the opportunity to wipe her eyes in embarrassment. "The world, Mai? Or just Shizuru?"

The curvy woman blinked, betraying her own surprise. "You… knew? That she… fancies you?" The words seemed difficult to get out.

"I'm overworked and preoccupied, Mai." Natsuki closed her eyes with an amused smile. "Not blind."

The redhead grinned sheepishly, rubbing her forehead. "Sorry."

"I love you."

Mai's neck gave an audible _crack_ as her head jerked sharply left where Natsuki's silky head rested on her shoulder. Ignoring the pain, the Meister forced her lover to straighten, staring into her emerald depths.

"Say that again," she breathed.

The object around which her entire world revolved frowned in confusion. "What?"

"Say. That. _Again_." This time, the order came out as a growl.

A slow, charming smirk bloomed on Natsuki's lips, a strange contrast that Mai had only ever seen this woman's elfin face pull off. "'I'm overworked and—'?"

"Don't play games," the redhead snapped, eyes burning with desire. "Say it again—_don't make me force you_."

"Force me?" Natsuki toyed. "Why, Tokiha, I didn't know you were into that sort of thing—UMPH!"

Passionate, demanding lips captured her own in a searing kiss before a word more could be uttered, backing her up against the railing playfully as the dark-haired female 'fought' back. The two top students in their class exchanged kisses full of fire and affection, tangling their fingers in one another's soft hair as Natsuki's breasts were pressed firmly against Mai's clothed bust.

The redhead leisurely allowed her fingers to trace the fine skin of her lover—nee, fiancée's—strong yet supple form. Lovely long black tresses shone their true cobalt color in the light of the moon and, if they were to open past delicate lids, those bottle-green irises would surely turn the beauty of the sprawling lush landscape a darker shade with envy.

"What?" a curious voice asked, the sensual tones tugging a smile to Mai's lips.

"Always analyzing, hm?" she giggled playfully. Natsuki answered with a dazzling smirk that triggered a stifled hitch of breath.

"Does that make you nervous, Tokiha?" purred her own personal temptress as perfect slender digits wound their way down her own figure, lingering on the golden-ruby designs embroidered into the Meister gown. Now there was no pretending not to notice the beautiful Gakuenchou's bare form seducing her eyes; the sensual swell of her chest caused Mai to bite her lip.

If Natsuki's teasing query was meant only in jest, then the other woman's body's responsiveness was answering it anyway. Even as the words were voiced, Natsuki seemed to draw her in with an air of such sheer sexuality that could only make her unfaultable brilliance more stunning. Mai marveled at the fact that this voluptuous side of the beautiful woman was only shown to her; and while every girl in Garderobe, every ruler on Earl, and every soul in between may fantasize about the normally cool female, the untouched skin of Natsuki was hers alone to explore.

"Is 'nervous' really the word, I wonder?" Mai prodded gently, smoothing raven locks flat against creamy skin affectionately where a piece had remained stuck at an awkward angle from their night of passion. "I love you too, you know," the redhead murmured tenderly.

"You had better," Natsuki wriggled her left fingers playfully; the gold and ruby flashed in the light leaking from the room behind them. Mai watched in amusement as the emerald-eyed female slowed her own movements while loosing interest in baiting her fiancée, and instead taking up that curiosity in the exquisite gem on her ring finger. The redhead let her, occupying herself in the meantime by gazing with unconscious adoration into the averted brilliant pools that on so many occasions made her tongue tied—oh, in _so_ _many_ ways—when no one else could.

There was truly no match for her perfection, as far as the estranged princess was concerned. The fine skin of Natsuki's long legs shone like colorless silk, having only grown more tempting and flexible in the years preceding the Black Valley's reintroduction to the world. The redhead had memorized the bluenette's body so thoroughly before fate had played a cruel jest and tore her away from her beloved, but steamy nights such as this made re-mapping it more than pleasurable.

"…because I didn't intend to resign as Gakuenchou without some sign of conviction from you."

For the second time that night—well, third if one counted the moment of climatic passion that had triggered a similar reaction in a time earlier in the night, which she didn't—Mai's neck cracked with the force of her turning it so fast.

"I'll speak to the other Columns tomorrow," continued Natsuki with every pretense of casualness, though the barely suppressed quirk of pale pink lips indicated that she was not as unaware of the effects of her words as she pretended.

"Are you serious?" the princess needed to know, heart fluttering wildly.

Emerald eyes gave her a long stare. "This would be a distasteful thing to joke about."

Unable to form a straight sentence, Mai stalled for time by reached up to tuck a lock of long navy silken threads behind a delicate ivory shell of an ear, pressing a trail of soft kisses from the fairer Otome's forehead to pale pink lips. From that point, she allowed her tongue to gently caress the light coral-colored skin, feeling its wanton counterpart slowly feel its way out of a wet mouth to dance temptingly with its mate. After several seconds of gliding and stroking over slippery surfaces, Natsuki's tongue slipped invitingly back into its cavern, beckoning the redhead's after it sensually.

And _Founder_, Mai would follow Natsuki Kruger anywhere. The darkest time in her life was brought on by the trap that stole away both fifteen years of her existence and Natsuki in one cruel swipe. And while Mikoto was certainly a large part of her life _now_, some truly dark thoughts flitted and latched on to her mind during her first few years being torn unceremoniously away from her lover.

And to perceive her beautiful Natsuki as the Gakuenchou of the Academy…

The exchange of saliva slowed considerably as lavender eyes took on a far-off look. Natsuki attempted to recapture the lost attention by sucking sweetly, almost innocently, on her lover's tongue, then gliding her fingers to the back of Mai's neck to tug the zipper of her uniform down when that didn't seem to work.

Skin—a few shades darker than Natsuki's from being about in the Black Valley sun on a regular basis—was revealed as the torso of the Fire String Ruby's gown folded at the waist. A crimson bra molded to the curves of Mai's ample cleavage and emphasized her curvier, more powerful form. A form that had defeated Natsuki with decisiveness many times in their schoolgirl days at the Academy, much to the bluenette's chagrin whenever Mai drew intentionally irritating and shamelessly exaggerated parallels between her 'cute delicateness' and whatever stupid flower happened to be in the vicinity.

The gentle nibble of teeth on her neck finally brought the former princess around. Enjoying the hot-then-cold trails of Natsuki's tongue on her flesh, it took a full sixty seconds for the words that needed to be said to be delivered.

"I don't think I can let you simply throw everything you've worked for away," Mai said finally, and when absinthe eyes flashed beautifully in response, she knew she had a battle.

"You're not really insinuating you _could_ force me, right?"

"I couldn't compromise your honor, even to safeguard my own."

Natsuki looked like she was having a hard time believing what she was hearing. "My _honor_?" she laughed scathingly, bottle-green orbs glittering forebodingly. "As Gakuenchou? By all reasonable standards, my honor is already past being _compromised_, Tokiha. I can't even count how many times you've taken me now, and in how many damn ways!"

"Mm, and you were wonderful every time."

The Second Column flushed prettily. "Don't change the subject."

"I'm not changing the subject." Mai pushed her hair back behind her ears. "Natsuki… you're very clever. In fact, I don't doubt for a second that you are _the_ most intelligent person I've ever met."

Kruger's fair cheeks gained a bloom of color, something Mai always found to be particularly endearing about her lover ever since they were students in the very school in which they now stood. How surreal, to go from fantasizing to reality—then finding reality superior to dreams. Though no vision could recreate the gentle play of light and pigment across the Second Column's brilliant features or her own heart rate's reaction to it…

"But with regards to that slyness, I fear our relationship has weakened your judgment," Mai smiled sadly, raising a hand to caress her lover's perfect, clear skin and brush back a lock of bay-hued hair for the second time in the conversation.

"And I think it's strengthened it." Natsuki stared her down.

"Then you should know not to make promises less than a day after hearing the proposal," the Fire String Ruby reasoned teasingly.

"If I think about it—and I mean really consider it… Will you accept my decision come sunrise?"

The redhead pouted playfully. "Ah, Natsuki makes me look like an amateur leader in any situation with all her plotting and planning!"

Smiling reservedly at the complement, the bluenette fiddled unconsciously with her newly acquired accessory. Though it had only taken up residence on her left hand not ten minutes prior, the emerald-eyed woman hesitated to take it off. "I suppose I should give this to you until then…" she averted her eyed, biting her lip enticingly. Lavender eyed softened. "Until things have been confirmed…"

Stepping closer then it seemed possible, her lover murmured in reply, "That ring and my offer are for you to keep, regardless of your answer." Tokiha grasped her lover's hands in hers. "After all, shouldn't the mistress of my heart be the mistress of my body as well?"

And _Founder_, even a _slight_ smile from that girl could light up the room, as it did now. The Second Column pressed her lips against the other Otome's at first chastely, in an expression of love taking a physical gesture. The carnal need for skin on skin came rushing forth not seconds later, prompting wandering hands on both party's parts, the silence of the ungodly early morning punctured by gasping moans and the wet sounds of bruised lips on equally bruised lips, tongues dancing sensually under the moon beams.

Fighting her way to sensibility—a feat previously deemed completely impossible, considering the nature of the temptation—Mai panted breathlessly as Natsuki's ice-white teeth enchanted her ear, blowing smoldering puffs of sweet air that delighted the busty woman's spine with pleasured shivers. And while Mai wanted nothing more than to turn the sexuality of the situation back on her own personal temptress, reality had to take precedence.

"N-Natsuki! Not that I don't find this _absolutely hot_," Mai gave a choked-off groan, "but if Miss Maria walks in—!"

"Let her," came the impatient reply as nails raked along her back. "I was sick of submitting to her, anyway."

The flow of kisses halted abruptly. "Is there something _else_ going on around here that I should know about?" the redhead asked suspiciously.

"Well, what do you think the five of us do during Column meetings?" Natsuki's innocently wide eyes were completely solemn and her lover couldn't tell positively if she was jesting or not.

Either suspicious or eager to pounce on a reason to linger there in the night with her most treasured person, Mai gave a glowering look and relented, abruptly dragged Natsuki by the scarf back beyond the French balcony doors, drawing the curtains shut tightly thereafter.

It seemed that Black Valley would have to wait another day for its Otome and Mikoto would have to find breakfast herself.

* * *

Somewhere in Garderobe, Yohko flipped the switch to disengage one camera from functioning. Immediately, the image of the love struck Gakuenchou and her lover—nee, fiancée—turned black.

"Oh dear," the scientist responsible leaned back in her chair, taking a long swing from her flask of alcohol. "Those bugs are just the worst, aren't they?" she asked no one in particular while reaching up lazily to receive the ejected tape that camera twenty had been recording since last night's curfew.

A blank disk took its place.

"We really should fix that."

* * *

Well, gang… mafia… _Kago_. O-O There it is. Congratulations for making it to age twenty-one, Kago-chan! With all the bullshit you get up to on a daily basis, I'm surprised you've managed to pull it off for this long! XD

I don't know if this is going to turn into a 'real' fic with multiple chapters, or if it's just a OneShot that _thinks_ it's going to turn into a 'real' fic with multiple chapters… But I suppose we'll see what happens!

**Teh Forbidden Scene** (_that got thrown bodily out of the editing room_)! **:**

"_Mai… this can't be—?"_

"_My Master ring?" the lavender-eyed woman anticipated the question. "Of course it can. And it is."_

"…Do I even want to know how you attained it back?" Natsuki suddenly asked with an apprehensive, suspicious tone of voice—clearly mindful of how the previous wielder of the accessory came to possess it.

Violet eyes averted shiftily. "There were no casualties," Mai promised the hand railing.

_Aha, Cheers!_

_؏Aurora؁_


	2. The Part of a Column

**Rating**: T—nothing lethal.

**Warnings**: Standard stuff. A little sensuality with a twist of sexuality…

**Additional Notation**:

Ugh, a chapter in and I've already screwed up! Sorry guys, but in chapter one I mentioned that Mai and Natsuki's scene was taking place in the State Guesthouse, but it wouldn't make any sense for them to be there—it should have been the Gakuenchou's personal quarters. I appreciate any and all indulgence you're willing to lend me; I'm trying really hard over here! ^o^

So, the best complement chapter one received was people noticing that it played up how Mai and Natsuki seemed to genuinely love one another as opposed to just focusing on some sex scene. I'd like to respond to that by saying… I think love _is_ sexy, so you'll be seeing much more of that in the future. Since everyone reacted so positively to that style, I'm starting to get that sinking feeling that I've been saddled with a bunch of romantics! :D Hehe, kidding. I love it! So… what's with this bullshit stalling!? On with the show!

**Disclaimer**: …which I most certainly do _not_ own… T-T (_Angst, angst_)

* * *

_Chapitre_ 2:

**The Part of a Column**

When dawn did indeed finally break over the vast Windbloom skies, casting a riot of colors over the loamy farm fields on the outskirts of the city, neat little homes with tiled roofs, and sleepy people ambling down main street, it was with a fogged mind that Mai awoke. The pleasant haze of warmth and comfort caressing her mind was present even before the events of last night—or, rather, earlier in the morn—had fully assembled. Only after the last of intangible dreams had been cast away did the preferable glow of a reality where Natsuki was _real_ and _here_ fully configure.

Thistle eyes immediately perked up, pushing past delicate lids for the sheer reward of seeing the enchanting countenance of her green-eyed mistress, resting on a halo of dark ebony tresses. It was too difficult to resist cupping the bluenette's delicate chin in her palm, so Mai succumbed to temptation. The creamy pure skin was soft and silky under her touch, proving what the Otome already knew to be true. The Gakuenchou _was_ the epitome of all feminine sweetness, after all, which wasn't enough to make the woman caressing the lithe body feel guilty _per say_, but at least suggested a healthy respect for discretion and her own life span (two concepts that may not have been mutually exclusive).

A shockingly cute purr escaped the sleeping Second Column's throat as the dozing girl nuzzled into her hand, eliciting a wide-eyed, stifled giggle that prompted the guilty party to realize that anymore unconscious sweetness from Natsuki might destroy the bluenette's rest. Or, rather, Mai's adoring reactions to them might do the job themselves.

Grinning slightly, the awake female carefully planned her path to the edge of the bed on 'her side'. The dangers of waking Natsuki was absolutely everywhere, of course, including (but not limited to) a clumsy move while attempting to detangle her own legs from her lover's highly sensitive ones, or the understandable urge to simply throw caution to the wind, turn around, and cuddle the innocent-looking woman senseless.

Thankfully, good sense—or perhaps that 'self preservation' theory that Natsuki had tirelessly tried to convince her to subscribe to in their Pearl years after a few of Mai's more reckless moments—prevailed. Arching her back in a satisfying stretch, the curvier female brushed away the silky sheets of her mistress' bed and quickly realized her own state of undress.

_Ah, that's right_, Mai accounted for the clothing tossed unceremoniously about the area near the bed from memory.

Heated sighs, alluring gasps, and needy sobs of the desperately close made for an interesting soundtrack for Mai's inner ear as she pulled on the closest item of clothing, her bra. Glancing at Natsuki now reminded Mai of how long their history together truly was, and how that history continued to spin its tale. The Queen had never known anyone for as long as she'd known the dark-haired Gakuenchou, and couldn't claim to like anyone at all even half as much.

Three sharp, evenly spaced knocks caused Mai to stumble in shock just as she accomplished the task of sliding on her panties. "Natsuki Kruger!"

And, as Sods' Law instructed, that which can go wrong, shall.

"Gakuenchou, I do hope for you own sake that this _indifference_ is due to cosmetic preparations for this morning's Council meeting!" It would not be a stretch to say that Miss Maria's verbal glower was akin to the wrath of a thousand hell fires. This having been said, the redheaded Otome began seriously contemplating the merits of escaping through the window, state of dress be damned.

"Miss Kruger, are you awake?" that same stern voice demanded to know, deceptively calm as Tokiha was forced to accept that even the brief moment required to step outside on the balcony to Materialize would be riskily risqué. Performing such a move inside her lover's quarters was also out, as Miss Maria would certainly neither be deaf to her call nor blind to the flash of light that accompanied most Otome's transformation process.

Mai cursed under her breath, eyes darting around for some sort of solution.

"No one person is so flawlessly brilliant, Mai, that they can't be tricked," Natsuki had once told her while huddled up in her blankets abed, on a frigid winter day with only her head poking out in the cool air to watch the Fire String Ruby dress. Tokiha had been making conversation ever since she'd noticed that rare instance in which her mistress had woken before she retreated back to Zipang. The redhead was currently rooting around for her sock. "Not even—" _me_, as Natsuki had claimed, but Mai disregarded that immediately as impossibly untrue. _And_ _not_ "—Miss Maria."

Speaking of Natsuki…

It was very strange that she'd slept through it all, considering what a light sleeper the girl typically was. Really too bad, anyway, since the bluenette was vastly well-known for seeming to have a plan for absolutely any situation ready at a second's notice.

_Sorry, lovely._

"Natsuki!" the violet-eyed woman whispered, shaking her fiancée tenderly, but urgently, awake. "_Natsuki_, please wake up!"

The lazy sunlight streaming in through the windows set her love's skin aglow as Natsuki rolled slightly to the left, clearly half-asleep still. Dark lashes brushed warm ivory cheeks and a stray lock of ocean-hued hair fell over her lovely features. But, as Mai firmly reminded herself, now was not the time to be distracted by such things.

"Gakuenchou, if you are honestly still _sleeping_—"

A tiny groan escaped Natsuki's lips as Mai's prodding grew steadily more insistent. Thanking the Founder, the redhead congratulated herself on her accomplishment… slightly too soon. The lovely Ice Silver Crystal uncooperatively refused to reveal her gorgeous bottle-green eyes to the world, instead choosing to sleepily nuzzle closely into Mai's nearby chest, breathing a content sigh in perfect sync with the latter's sharp, dazed intake of air.

Known for her patience, the elder Otome was not. A snort like that of an angry bull served as a nerve-wracking reminder of this, followed shortly by a long string of Miss Maria's grumbled complains about the bluenette's general inclination to slack off rather than commit to her duties, which tested Mai's self-restraint more thoroughly than the redhead cared for. Pulling herself together, the Black Valley Otome appealed to her obliviously sleeping ice queen once more.

"Natsuki,_ come on_!"

"Miss Kruger, answer! Are you up and about!?"

"Say _yes_," the redhead coaxed the fairer woman, nearing the point of panic. Struck with a sudden inspiration which could only occur on the edge of desperation, Tokiha began sucking sweetly on the pulse point of the bluenette's neck, perfectly aware of the extremely sensitized nature of the other female's skin and the nearly electric responsiveness native to the section of graceful neck in which the flow of blood ran very close to the surface of the skin.

In her deep sleep, Natsuki shivered in pleasure. Unconsciously arching her neck to grant her seductress better access, a few soft noises escaped her partially open lips. With imagination, Mai could optimistically fathom that one or two of them approached the 's' sound at the end of the word which all three of them needed to hear from those light pink lips.

"Gakuenchou!"

"Yesss…" Natsuki murmured very softly, the slow sigh accompanying it almost louder than the actual word. Mai went ridged in tense anticipation, holding her breath while hoping very strongly that the woman with ears as keen as any deer had caught it, since she wasn't so sure she could make Natsuki say it again.

The redhead counted by four seconds of anxious suspense before Miss Maria finally just muttered irritably in response and skulked off down the hallway in the general direction of the marble staircase. Only when the footsteps had faded off into suitable nothingness did Tokiha allow herself a long, relieved sigh. This was coupled with an exasperated look tossed at Natsuki, who had settled down from their rather businesslike entanglement just a minute previously and now slept innocently on.

"You're very high maintenance while abed, you know," Mai told her, daring to move freely about the room once more to collect her crimson Meister uniform a few feet away. "And even more so when you're asleep!" Mai grin to herself while zipping up the back of her long gown, then moving to sit on the chair of the vanity mirror to tug on her boots.

The air was still and peaceful in the still rather early hours of the day while her lover's still reflection in the clear surface of the mirror twisted dark-rose lips into a faint smile as dexterous fingertips glided smoothly over the various objects organized about the mahogany vanity that Mai knew for a fact Natsuki rarely used. To be fair, the stunning bluenette hardly needed outside help to enhance her dark good looks. If she did go about the motions… well, it simply wouldn't be _fair_.

Light danced brightly off of the three pure silver combs resting upon a raised stage of ebony in the exquisitely crafted dressing table, casting dancing rays of radiance about the room.

Selecting the finest of the works of craftsmanship, the redhead crept slyly back to bed, sacrificing speed for the sake of discretion. Natsuki really worked so hard that it wouldn't be right to wake her in the dawning hours of the day. Thankfully, her breath did, indeed, stay deep and relaxed as Mai sank into the space next to her, indicting the continued life of whatever vision the beauty lay enthralled in.

_Natsuki, do you know what you do to me?_

The lavender-eyed woman shook her head amusedly. No, she probably didn't.

Tenderly, Mai ran the sterling teeth through long bay locks, admiring the soft gleam of cerulean under the pink sunlight streaming through the large picturesque windows. Silk sheets fell loosely like a veil over the bluenette's supple form, which Mai tucked under the girl carefully, unable to resist touching her in some way. A comfortable silence permeated the room with the Meister feeling no need to break it. Unlike those classic cliché romance scenes that every Backstage fanbook seemed to insist on squeezing in, the Fire String Ruby rarely addressed the Ice Silver Crystal when the latter wasn't awake to hear it. The things that bothered Mai (usually involving Black Valley, at least indirectly) would suddenly seem so easy to solve when light thistle irises met enchanting emerald, and telling a tale twice was no fun. Besides, after a few pieces of thoughtful advice from the lovely Gakuenchou… well, there was simply no problem remaining at all.

An absent glance out the nearest window drew a disappointed pout to Mai's features, but the students _did_ have to rise sometime. Reluctantly penning a note to her fiancée (the word sounded so _good_ on Natsuki!), the lavender-eyed Otome folded the small paper twice and wove it through the teeth of the silver comb before placing it as obviously as possible upon the spot beside Natsuki where Mai _should_ have still been lying, if the world had any damn justice left…

"Materialize!"

The word came so naturally to her tongue and tripped off as though made of fine, gourmet chocolate or even a sweet, frothy sauce. A rush of heat, then the comforting weight of flaming golden rings revolving methodically about her wrists followed her command directly after, along with the quiet sweep of strong, ornate fabrics indicating that her uniforms had switched. Pushing locks of short carrot hair from her eyes, the Fire String Ruby in all her grace brushed imagined specs of dust off her warmly colored Robe, and prepared to take flight—allowing only one brief glance back over her shoulder.

Dancing, iridescent sunlight glimmered in from the windows, sending the various silver, gold, and glass pieces about the room into a dazzling array of brilliance. Many of the flitting lights bounced off the trinkets and decorated the bed sheets, under which the sleeping beauty dozed on. One delicate left hand rested loosely above the comforter, adorned with a princess-cut ruby set prominently on a proud golden band alight with energy—a combination of Natsuki's and her own, creating the contract that allowed her to take flight.

Mai forced herself to look away and soon enough, the redhead was racing through the skies at a breakneck pace, the peaceful image of her fiancée keeping her giddy all through the hour-long flight back to Black Valley.

* * *

It was seconds, minutes, hours—_time_ until Natsuki herself got around to opening her eyes in the blaring sunlight filtering thickly through dark raven lashes. Unlike Mai before her, however, Kruger was in no rush to get up. She hadn't been lying when she'd told her lover indecently early that morn that her job was one never-ending list of tasks—no days off allowed.

_That_ she knew from experience when, some ten years ago, Yohko had forced her to take time for herself after a very busy month had left her pulling seventy-two hour shifts. By the ninth hour into her 'day off', the school had literally fallen apart. The laboratory which the same scientist conducted had, for some Founder-forsaken reason, exploded, taking down the Coral classroom directly above it, as well as a large portion of the entire building's East wall. Elsewhere, a careless Pearl had left the door to the vegetable greenhouse open, allowing bugs to invade the plants, ruining the entire season's harvest.

And so concluded Natsuki Kruger's only day—nine hours—off.

A tentatively seeking hand brushed over the empty space beside her, confirming what she already knew. Nothing but air and cold covers existed, proving that Mai had, indeed, left her there exposed and sore, yet again. The term 'courtesan' flickered menacingly across Natsuki's mind from their conversation at some point before sunrise, stripped of context.

_That's not sounding so ridiculous after all…_

Her fingers ran over something rougher and papery, a distinct shift from the soft silk of her linins before. Opening one eye curiously, Kruger frowned in deliberation at the parchment strung between the spokes of a silver comb, and thoughtlessly sat up, the cloak of her duvet falling away from her chest.

Blushing, the Gakuenchou cursed Mai's carelessness—she'd certainly told her enough times to fasten the curtains before departing, hadn't she? Tugging on the deep cerulean, satin dressing gown hanging on the hook beside her mattress and spreading the cloth evenly over her form, Natsuki finally plucked the note up, and cast an eye over the familiar, hasty writing.

_Natsuki-love_, the rounded font scrawled:

_I'm sorry to leave you here like this for Black Valley once more, but I don't need to tell you about affairs of state… My thoughts are moving so quickly just sitting here watching you, but I know for certain that when you come to visit your future home, Founder dammed if it isn't the most enchanting thing I can make it out to be. Despite my earlier words, I did indeed leave a mere trifle for you to associate with my happiness for our engagement…_

Natsuki toyed with the deep crimson ribbon that had been tied in a bow around the comb's base, never having recalled seeing it in her life, and therefore assuming its bequeathed status. Idly, she wondered what her lover was planning to tell Mikoto, her former Master, who could likely no more understand marriage than bathing.

_Had we followed the Zipang courting rituals, I'd have gone out into the woods, selected the most beautiful plant I could find, and tied a silver ribbon around its stems months before you ever saw a ring. Then, to propose a betrothal, I would have taken you to it on our six-month anniversary, and, should the plant still be alive, my culture would allow the question to be posed._

_But that's neither here nor there. __Please don't hesitate to leave the ring here in your room, for it would only invite trouble for you to boast it in the day… _In essence, I suppose this is our last goodbye. I most eagerly await your formal answer to my offer tomorrow, though I'll see you before then.

_Until then, my most precious person, adu._

؁_Mai._

As she read, the slender Otome wandered carelessly from her bedside across the room to return her comb to the darkly-hued vanity, whose large mirror reflected the sunlight beyond her almost blindingly. Natsuki's lithe form crossed before the surface while tucking in the chair before it where once it had been pulled out as the beauty took a guess at the time, balancing the brush between her shoulder and chin.

Setting the lustrous object gently down upon the vanity along with the scarlet ribbon, the bluenette slowly approached the fireplace on the opposite end of the room. Winter was nearly upon them; the dancing flames within the grate warmed her skin and seemed to reach eagerly for the latest of her precious notes left by her lover. Knowing that she had to burn each one to ash or risk someone coming unwittingly upon it didn't make it any easier to cast the parchment into the furnace, but somehow Natsuki managed.

Still, each sweet note cast asunder furthered her tentative understanding that perhaps the distinctly sociable Meister Tokiha _did_ plan to linger about for the long term… And that alone was enough to sacrifice pretty words and charming flirtations penned in hasty black script.

A series of loud, banging raps on her door jarred an ivory hand, allowing the creamy parchment the chance to flutter from between loose fingers. Emerald eyes widened, then averted with sulky gloom as the edges of the note caught fire. Bright orange and flickering goldenrod devoured it with greed, sending up coils of concentrated smoke to join the rest escaping through the tunnel skyward, until only wisps of ash remained.

Another round of solid knocks caused Natsuki to clench her fit irritably. "_Yes_?" she very well hissed.

"Do I look the part of a _Column_ or _messenger_ girl, Kruger?" the muffled indignations of Nao Zhang pounded on her eardrums. The bluenette ran both hands upward through silken locks, and let them fall smoothly back to her shoulders with a drawn-out sigh.

"Considering there stands a door between us, I can't attest to ether. However, taking into account how strict Miss Maria is known to be in accordance with uniform, I hope for _your_ sake it's the former."

"Open up and I'll show you," came the lustily answer, full of dark promise.

Natsuki stopped dead in her tracks while before she'd been moving towards her closet, eyeing the only thing keeping the Fourth Column in the hall uneasily. Not for the first time, the slender Otome wondered what the dangerous Fourth Column was capable of. Due to various royalties' tight grip on Artai throughout its history, those in Nao's homeland tended to live fast and furious to compensate for obvious shortcomings (including those of their lifespan). Because the Fourth Column had grown up with that sort of mindset, Natsuki couldn't bring herself to blame Zhang _specifically_ for her constant forwardness… However, that lessened neither the fact that the aggression was there nor the bluenette's wariness of it.

"Go away, Nao," Kruger finally snapped, mustering the most wrathful tone she could while closing the first three hooks of her light-aqua shirt behind her back. "I _hardly_ need to be attended to!"

"Perhaps Miss Maria disagrees, as she's the one that sent me a-calling." The redhead's haughty, drawled-out words only made getting dressed that much more of an unpleasant task. It reminded the bluenette distastefully of the mounting workload awaiting her in the office, undoubtedly piling up to greater heights with each passing minute. Nao, who had no such task stalking her, had taken to following Natsuki around in those rare moments when the gray-haired matron wasn't marshalling either green-eyed woman through their day, much to the Gakuenchou's annoyance and uncertainty.

"Ara ara, is there a problem, Zhang-san?" a poisonously sweet voice made its appearance in the hallway outside the Second Column's rooms.

Natsuki exhaled softly in relief upon recognizing Shizuru's familiar tones, though the underlying ire with a twist of pure chill wasn't familiar to the emerald-eyed woman at all; mostly because it had never once been directed at her.

"Problem?" Natsuki could just imagine the sneer that went with that snarl. "What problem? Besides my apparent reduction from the status of Column to personal slave to the goddamn _devil_."

"You've been put under Miss Maria's direction this morning, then?" Natsuki heard the brunette say, while toggling a few more ties to her uniform. "Well, off with you. The Gakuenchou's door is hardly the place to sulk, which Zhang-san might know if she had any sense of class."

The Third Column, who spent more time stirring up the students than absolutely anything else, hardly ever issued orders, gave direction, or acted seriously in any respect. However, when Viola did pull herself together to give commands, the first to obey were those that knew previously that the crimson-eyed woman had something against them. Therefore, since Nao and Shizuru seemed engaged in a never-ending cycle of insults, insinuations, and often outright strikes, it came as no surprise to hear one set of footsteps stalk away, and even less so when it was Shizuru that spoke, clearly victorious.

"Natsuki is running slightly late today."

The Second Column grimaced, remembering herself. "Well, the quality of the morning wasn't improved by that brat turning up," she began lacing up her shirt again. "I'm nearly dressed, if that's what you're here for."

"I'm always interesting in Natsuki's state of dress," came the mischievous reply, earning a pretty blush from the Gakuenchou. "Or undress, as the case were…"

Her fingers slipped on the last hook of the corset in surprise, and Natsuki cursed under her breath as the fastening of the one below it came undone as well. "Shizuru!" the bluenette complained out loud, sweeping towards the darkly varnished vanity on the far side of the room with an air of petulance.

An indulgent chuckle answered her protests. "Natsuki is taking forever, though!"

Wrapping the red ribbon onto her thin right wrist, Natsuki bound it thrice around her long cobalt locks in a long cascading ponytail high on the back of her head. Where before she'd never had any motive to put up her tresses in any particular style, it was sweet of her lover to leave such a sentimental gift. And as the history behind the hair tie's merit involved their relationship, it was an honor to wear it.

"Is there something in particular occurring, or is my exasperation simply a source of entertainment for the gods?" Kruger asked evenly, but her eyes were on the beautifully crafted ring sitting oh-so-naturally upon her finger, as though it had been designed specifically for _her_ hand.

_Please don't hesitate to leave the ring here in your room, for it would only invite trouble for you to boast it in the day…_

Oh how she wished to. Natsuki sincerely _did_ long to keep it there on her hand, for she was truly proud to wear it—allow there to be no mistake. However, in the end, the slender beauty decided to honor the wishes of Mai—who had given it to her in the first place—and gently slipped the ring from her finger into the box with eyes askance.

"I suppose that depends on whether or not Natsuki worships Miss Maria."

That startled a laugh out of the formerly pessimistic maiden, who, after securing the little box in a vanity drawer, clasped the handle of the door and exited into the hallway. "Let's go then, Shizuru."

Oh, and she tried. Natsuki really did _try_ not to notice how Shizuru's crimson eyes lit up at the sight of her, or how relaxed and real the Third Column became around her as opposed to that fake aura of serenity so many believed to be all there was to the brunette. However, one may lie only to _others_ about many people and many things—never oneself. Natsuki could never feel right—even before Mai's return—about the admiring looks she received as her figure became more defined or the flirtations that had somehow navigated around Viola's considerable jealous wrath. So presently, though she pretended not to notice them, the intense, passionate attentions from those deep, scarlet eyes was starting to make her stumble slightly in her own speech—each time leading to a positively spectacular blush across her features, causing Shizuru to giggle at her.

By the time the pair reached the outdoors to the atrium of Grand Council's hosting chambers clear across campus, the Gakuenchou was already sporting a vicious headache from the repeated rush of blood to her cheeks in such a short amount of time. The steady stream of innuendos, flirtations, and rather-improper-but-played-off-as-casual touches had lasted the entirety of the way, only letting up for a few minutes at a time when the popular, taller Otome stalled in their journey towards the Council room to show off in front of the beautiful Gakuenchou by causing a group of Corals to swoon.

And that was fine, because it required little participation from the emerald-eyed woman. However, at present, Natsuki had the sincere misfortune of Viola spying a small gathering of Pearls lingering just outside the International Council building. Misfortunately still, the Gakuenchou didn't spot them at all, so focused was she on her mind-splitting migraine.

The first indication that the Second Column received that something was wrong was a sharp difference in her internal equilibrium. The disconcerting sensation of being off-balance, coupled with the rush of adrenaline as her body automatically attempted to find perspective with the ground followed immediately after, and, of their own accord, her arms wrapped around something warm and solid. Lids clenched shut, the bluenette waited for the impact which would never come.

Stunned silence reigned for a matter of nanoseconds before Natsuki pulled herself together enough to open her eyes, headache forgotten.

"Ara ara, Natsuki-chan! Are you alright?"

Breathing rate evening out, Natsuki tore her gaze away from where it had settled, started, on her left hand intertwined with Shizuru's opposite while the right lay wound around her friend's neck for stability. Head tilted back in line with the rest of her body, the Second Column flushed upon realizing the fractional distance between herself and the brunette. The familiar pressure behind her eyes throbbed angrily at being ignored.

"I'm fine," insisted Natsuki as the limb coiled around her waist coordinated with the hand in hers to help return her to a straight standing position. Because the Third Column had been forced to grab her so abruptly, the dull pain in her waist would probably form a bruise.

Noticing the Gakuenchou's inattentions, the Meister made very sure that the spellbound Pearls had an excellent, unblocked line of sight before executing what would likely be the last move her love interest tolerated from her for the hour. "Natsuki should have said that she likes it _rough_," Shizuru stated seductively, very close to her ear.

Fair cheeks immediately flushed a dark shade of scarlet. "_Shizuru_!" Natsuki said it like a curse word, eyes flashing heatedly as she shoved the other Otome away and purposefully stalked the last few yards to the Grand Council's chambers. With perhaps an unreasonable amount of wrath, the bottle-green-eyed female slammed the door shut after her and, as a spiteful afterthought, locked it, before storming down the corridor without looking back. These _were_ Shizuru's usual, playful antics, but Founder curses if they hadn't given her this migraine in the first place!

"Please forgive the delay," Natsuki shelved her irritation upon arriving at the entrance to her destination in favor of professionalism. The heels of her shoes clicked like water on the darkly tiled floor as those seated rose respectfully to acknowledge her presence and a few Meisters looked about confusedly for Viola.

"Are you feeling well, Gakuenchou?" a particularly pompous man with bright copper hair poured on the charm. Yohko, slightly to the left of him and in attendance to present a special report, eyed Natsuki speculatively—which in and of itself was normal, considering how often Miss Maria imagined a cough from the bluenette to be a raging virus and ordered the sulking younger Otome down to the scientist's laboratory for inspection. However, there was no reason for the violet-eyed woman to be blushing so furiously red if her mind lay solely on analyzing her for signs of sickness…

"Actually," a lady in far fairer garb spoke up with a slightly drawled, accented tone, "we hadn't considered starting yet. A delegate, we have just been informed, sent an alternate in his stead. That _newer_ nation, as you know." The last was said with slight snootiness. "Black—"

But Natsuki wasn't watching her anymore, instead locking eyes with a sight far more welcome five seats away.

"Mai."

* * *

Bwahah, consider this fangirl a high school graduate! :-{O Now, you may ask, "Well, writer, why should I give a crap!?" Allow me to propose an answer: Instant Gratification! :P Now I can lazy and write with optimum efficiency. U-U It's sort of turning into an art, as many of you have already discovered, I'm sure. O.o

**Omake **(_that nearly got me grounded for evil!Giggling at three in the morning_)! **:**

"Gakuenchou!" Miss Maria scowled with unprecedented viciousness at the thick wooden door, which was the bluenette's only defense against her wrath. The Second Column had been doing this 'sleeping in' so often as of late that it was beginning to show through in her punctuality, which, even as a student, had been her most admirable quality, as far as the iron-haired Otome was concerned. That wasn't to say her quick-thinking and flawless tact hadn't earned her the Eternal Recurrence Jasper's respect, for out of all five Columns, Graceburt could easily pick out Kruger to be her favored by far….

But this was getting ridiculous.

"Miss Kruger, if you do not answer this door post-haste, I will open it _myself_!" the matron boomed coldly, her threat her promise.

The muffled sounds of scrambling barely made it past the barrier, but it was enough to know that the forest-eyed female was stalling. Lighter green eyes narrowed speculatively. Natsuki Kruger never _stalled_.

With a solid, powerful kick, the door was knocked off its hinges as though it had been held upright previously by nothing more than the whimsy of the Founder. And while Miss Maria fully expected the frustrated protests of the mortified Pillar as the latter hastily pulled on a dressing gown to cover her skin, the thoroughly shocked expression of Meister Tokiha in nothing but her underclothes standing at the dead-centre of the room was more than a bit unexpected.

For a handful of seconds, neither Otome thought to move. Then—

"Do you have no _shame_, Tokiha!?" Maria Graceburt roared, Materializing seamlessly and without any other thought than to cause irreparable harm to the person that had compromised her charge's honor. Mai jumped back in horror as the scythe-like weapon crashed down in the exact spot where she'd been standing while Natsuki made a disbelieving sound in the back of her throat, vaulting off her bed.

The now-youthful blond woman raised the blade into the air once more. "Run," she ordered the redhead. Mai didn't need telling twice.

And so, it was with thorough bafflement that Yukariko-sensei stalled the Corals' morning training lessons to puzzle over the scene of Miss Maria, materialized and furious, chasing a scarlet blur through the skies with the Gakuenchou—hair disheveled and dressed rather suggestively in a long but thin sapphire gown—shouting up at them from the ground, unable to materialize after them due to Council regulations.

The honey-haired instructor coughed. "I think we'll begin the day with mathematics," she stated loudly, pointing the students back the way they'd come to collective groans of protest.

_And that's all she wrote, folks. U-U_

؏_Aurora_؁


	3. The Long Way to Sunset

**Rating**: T—for moments of a distinctly fan-ish nature.

**Warnings**: Good, clean, yuri fun! 8)

**Additional Notation**: Late? A little late? XP Well… you know you want to forgive me! (_Ducks a shoe_) Now, now, let's be civil here. O.o

**Disclaimer**: Now I can claim to be a suffering college scholar rather than a lazy high school kid! :D But… that changes neither the fact that I do not own Mai Otome nor the fact that MaiNat is strictly a device of fan-ish deviousness. T-T

* * *

_Chapitre_ 3:

**The Long Way to Sunset**

The Queen of Black Valley sighed despite herself, reclining in her dark leather chair while reaching for the glass decanter of fine wine kept in her bottommost drawer for emergencies such at this. Only a select few rays of soft yellow light peered in through the spaces between delicate linens of curtain to ignite the relatively dark atmosphere of the queen's office. It may have been only six in the morning, but already Mai could tell that she wouldn't be making it through the day sober.

Having raced back to Black Valley at a most feverish pace, the redhead felt too wired for sleep, yet too exhausted to do much of anything else, either. The compromise, of course, ended up being that blissful state between consciousness known as 'dead drunk', which Mai visited very rarely, but strenuous times called for strenuous measures… Particularly now that she could actually sit and stew over Natsuki's and her abbreviated conversation from between their two rounds of lovemaking, which was at its beginnings in straining her nerves.

Two jittery knocks at her door made the redhead pause in her plans to get totally smashed. Leveling a flat look in its general direction, the curvy woman voiced her permission for the intruder upon her peace to enter. Mai made no pretense of removing the decanter from view; hopefully, _whoever_ it was would take the hint and leave quickly.

"Queen Tokiha!" Mai's fast-talking, multitasking state secretary, Cassio, bustled into the room, looking feverish but relieved to see her. The precariously balanced, small red hat emblazoned with edges of gold embroidery was snatched from his head in an afterthought of respect, leaving wisps of hair jutting out at odd angles. Tokiha began to speculate that she wasn't the only one in need of a drink to calm her that morn. "Your Highness, where _have_ you been?"

_Bedding my fiancée._

"Is there something you need?" Mai circumvented the query perfectly, eager to be alone to nurse her brewing headache once more. She would regret mixing alcohol with a migraine later, but for now there were too many things on her mind.

Put out, yet not quite deterred completely, Cassio began to _talk_. _Founder_, if ever a man spoke even half as much as this one did, then Mai had never met him. The long, drawling dialogue of the slightly nasally-sounding man turned the Queen's already pronounced headache up a spectacular six notches in an efficient fifteen seconds. During that time, for the most part, Mai merely stared in something resembling sincere repulsion as the balding man intermittently placed stacks of paperwork upon her desk between sentences, probably explaining their importance, but Mai just couldn't wrap her head around it.

In her own defense, it wasn't totally laziness that dissuaded her so much as it was the abnormally difficult flight back to Black Valley coupled with the lingering stiffness of only a few hours of sleep after two fully-fledged sessions of sex with her favored bluenette. A level four sandstorm in the desert outside the north-west boarder of Black Valley had further sucked the energy from her when it became clear that going through or over its hot, gritty wind currents would be nothing to sniff at. The dread of her promised 'Talk' with Mikoto calculated into her exhaustion as well, but weighed only equally on her mind in its disquiet when compared with the elations of the midnight half-engagement, which curved her lips in a barely-restrained grin.

Mai's fingertips drummed sharply over the tabletop.

Yet now, looking down at the three-of-many visible charts spelling out some affair of state or another, the redhead was beginning to despair over not using her outwardly evident exhaustion to her advantage by claiming to be ill. Not even the bland four colors thrown in half-heartedly to make the documents more approachable could distract from the overwhelming amount of fractions and percentages dancing gleefully across the pages, as if to taunt her.

Just as Tokiha began to tentatively consider asking Cassio-san to repeat… _everything_, the tanned-skinned man laid an even more pressing problem on her lap. "…and in addition to these projects, I have been asked to inform you that Mikoto-san has been searching for… you."

_Mikoto was searching for _breakfast_, rather_, Mai shook her head in jittery amusement, _and has likely torn apart the kitchens to find it. _The secretary's tact was appreciated, though, so the charismatic Otome thanked him grandly while picking out the lesser of the two evils with a wary look at the papers, and told Cassio that it would perhaps be better for her to deliver the cook from Mikoto's demands directly, before there was no one left to set free.

Mai paused. "Besides, isn't it your day off today?"

The balding man bowed, the streams of sunlight catching his scalp. "That isn't possible. I have a Queen to entertain, milady."

"Believe me, so do I," the redhead smirked, a flicker of smugness from the knowledge that Natsuki, her very own ice queen, was so very close to becoming her fiancée spilling over.

Mai watched the baffled state secretary scuttle away for a moment, releasing her breath in a long, slow sigh after the door closed shut. The title—and others with analogous meanings—still felt _very_ strange and discomforting when used with reference to herself. This meant all the time of course because, though she'd asked repeatedly, the small-but-growing populace of Black Valley absolutely refused to call her anything else. And while the two-times-over royal attempted to be graceful about it, she simply couldn't adapt to the automatic reverence rapidly—especially as she continued to protest it sporadically throughout the day.

Though, if _Natsuki_ wanted to call her _my Queen_… how could she possibly refuse?

Tittering to herself, the curvy woman cast a last, lingering look at the carafe as if in apology, and vanished through the threshold as well. It wouldn't be difficult to find Mikoto, of course. All one had to do was follow the happy sounds of chaos, which would give Tokiha ample time to think over how to approach informing the cat goddess of both her whereabouts last night as well as Natsuki's upcoming presence in both of their lives.

Mai could just imagine the first scenario.

_I'm sorry, Mikoto, I didn't _mean_ to be so late in returning. But you see, I was at Garderobe past two in the morning screwing the Gakuenchou into her sheets, and just lost track of time…_

Strangely enough, that didn't sound like something Natsuki would approve of. Possible revisions included _I went for a walk_ or _I've invented a new recipe!_, which were less honest, but decisively safer and more suitable to the girl's naive ear than a detailed explanation of all the wonderful little noises that the bluenette had made as Mai touched certain parts of her body.

A loud cry of despair signaled her propinquity to the palace kitchens, the cook of which did _not_ get along well with Mai—rather than Mai not being amiable with her. Picking up her speed, the redheaded woman very nearly sprinted the last stretch of a long corridor, skidding to a halt at the open door which revealed a scene from perhaps a comedy—or horror, depending on one's point of view.

The great, hulking Head Chef of distinct Remus descent was brandishing a mildly sharp slicing knife at a hissing Mikoto, the latter of whom had inexplicably positioned herself atop the crystal chandelier overhead as Chef Crete's two weary assistants—a bespectacled boy and bushy-haired girl—attempted to coax her down. The swinging chandelier tilted precariously to the right as the cat goddess evaded another of the helpers' efforts, accidentally loosening a bulb which promptly crashed to the ground at the furious, purple-faced cook's feet. This more than anything seemed like the perfect cue to rescue her former master from a distinctly culinary fate, so Tokiha quickly strode fully into the room.

"_What_ is going on here!?"

In retrospect, it was probably the worst course of action: to place herself in a scenario which consisted of a 'known enemy' wielding a weapon. It couldn't be helped, as four sets of eyes rounded on the young Queen as one, with only the cook looking unhappy to see her. Immediately, the assembled burst out in speech.

A garbled mix of voices echoed unendingly in the rectangular room, gaining momentum as they bounce from wall to wall like dozens of rubber spheres. If Mai had considered one man's monologue to be confusing noise, then the combined efforts of four tones of varying indignations was the height of mystifying.

Tokiha reeled back slowly, pressing her spine against the cool metallic cabinet while pinching the bridge of her nose firmly between her thumb and forefinger. _Natsuki_ didn't have to deal with this trivial chaos, _surely_. It was certainly reason enough to be jealous of the emerald-eyed beauty who never _did_ seem out of her element—instead, the bluenette's surroundings seemed to service _her_.

_The mistress of my mistress…_

A glint of satisfaction flickered through expressive indigo eyes. _Until sunset, that is… _When the title of 'mistress' would hopefully be exchanged for that of 'my Queen'.

Speaking of whom—

"Mikoto," Mai locked eyes with the shortest person in attendance, who looked very pathetic—though absolutely guilty—hanging there upside-down, fingers covered in the chocolate of a soufflé that now lay limp on the marble kitchen countertop—consequently the most likely source of discourse. Almost certain that the day would have been better had she went ahead with becoming completely plastered, Mai tried to envision what Natsuki might have done in a similar situation, and came up with nothing. "Mikoto, _we_—" she emphasized the plurality, "— are leaving now."

The cat goddess did not appear to be a fan of this idea. "Mai…" the girl bemoaned, her equally vocal stomach pleading starvation as yellow irises steered themselves unsubtly to the half-destroyed pastry on the counter (the latter of which the Chef looked prepared to defend to the death, incidentally).

A slender saffron brow quirked in amusement. No, the Otome couldn't _begin_ to imagine what the highly revered—highly _reserved_—Second Column might do should some dopey Coral wander drowsily up to her during the day—as Mikoto was prone to doing—demanding food. Or more horrifyingly still—thought Mikoto did it just as frequently—nuzzle Natsuki's colorless silk bosom!

Just the image of Natsuki's ivory-carved features breaking free of their schooled expression of neutrality and reforming into appalled, horrified shock with Mikoto's face buried insistently into her chest like a cub searching for milk brought Mai's lips curving into a ridiculous grin. It was impossible to muster up standard jealousy over her beautiful lover either because she couldn't take the matter seriously in the first place… But if her former master began to emulate un-weaned babes in a more primal way, Mai would be eternal in her retaliation.

In the end, it was with two votes of thanks and one stolidly flat stare that Mai was escorted back out into the white and silver marble hallways, the soft lights—both artificial and natural—illuminating the path as the pair wound their way towards the very front of the capitol building. Outside, the air was rich with perfumes of various floras whose sprigs bloomed fresh in the late of fall and early of winter, dying only at summer's start, when the desert heat truly overpowered them. A well-concealed, neat little earthy path carved the way uphill through tall estella trees, whose thin, spiny needles grew in beautiful spirals around the branches and littered the ground in patches.

Her 'silent treatment' aimed semi-intentionally at Mikoto for causing a scene didn't seem to be making much of an impression on the shorter woman as the cat goddess leapt agilely from bough to bough overhead. Mai brushed the needles shaken free from her hair with a sigh, echoed by the gurgling of an unseen stream winding in the opposite direction through the thicket of trees. For a very long time, it had only been the two of them—granted, not exactly by _choice_… But Mikoto's reaction to Natsuki would be important in determining if the rest of their lives together would be miserably awkward or not.

Soon enough, the snaking little trail put in a last sharp ninety-degree turn before opening grandly into a newly-revealed meadow lined liberally with more estella trees as well as the occasional cocora—little stubby bushes with vivid red blossoms and, more often than not, a small flock of coolak picking away at the overripe berries scattered at the feet of the plant. A cozy cottage sat in the centre of the greenery, a short flight of stairs leading up to its flagstone patio with three arches big enough to see through to the front door as well as two picturesque windows. A black-rimmed yellow sundial adorning the front-facing, triangular shape of the roof informed Mai that her stalling had slaughtered an hour away since her arrival.

And while stalling was all well and good when it was Natsuki opposite her with those big green eyes that could make anyone spill their guts, that glint as if the Gakuenchou knew everything Mai wanted to say beforehand wasn't there to coax along her nerves this time. After three edgy attempts at cooking a simple omelet, the busty Otome finally produced something passable and placed it before the wild-child as bait before broached the topic.

"I've been visiting Garderobe this morning," she stated in a very would-be-casual voice. _Just in the neighborhood, never mind it's _fifty_ miles away… _Mikoto was predictable, however, and so long as Mai said it in a normal voice, it was officially normal. Coupled with the fact that the girl was currently gorging herself, only a vague sort of noise answered this announcement. "The, erm, _air_ is nice there, don't you think?"

Mikoto looked positively blank, which was more than fair, considering.

_Time for a more direct approach._

"What do you think of Natsuki, Mikoto?" the queen asked carefully. It was a perfectly open-ended question; those generally went the furthest with the childlike cat-lover.

The black-haired child swayed self-entertainingly, her plate already clear. "Natsuki? Natsuki is very smart!"

_How… unspecific. _Everyone_ thinks Natsuki smart_, Mai reflected with some vanity.

"What do you think of Natsuki living _here_? With us?"

The wild girl's eyes were crossed in concentration, as they had been for the duration of the questions. The cat goddess didn't say anything for a good minute, so when she did finally open her mouth, Mai was in equal parts thankful as she was skeptical that her former master knew what she was getting at in the first place.

"Natsuki will live here?" the black-haired child blinked up at her in that naive way of hers, trying to put the pieces together. "…To be friends with Mai and Mikoto!"

Mai groaned in exasperation, face in her hands as the girl continued to draw the wrong impression. "Not… _exactly_, Mikoto."

"Natsuki will live here to be _enemies_ with—!?" Mikoto sounded alarmed.

"No!" Mai shouted, then cleared her throat awkwardly. "No." She sounded much calmer. "Mikoto…" _Founder_, she'd never guessed that she'd be delivering the birds and the bees—_birds and the birds?_—speech to a kid (or something resembling one), considering the process that inevitably had to preceded either she or Natsuki becoming with child… "Mikoto—" she was grasping at straws "—have you ever noticed how all the… _rabbits_ become very… happy during spring?"

_Founder, what a disaster! _Mai was convinced that her face would spontaneously combust if she were forced to endure the torture a moment longer.

"Mhm!" the younger female nodded in a serious fashion. "It's because they have to make _baby_ rabbits," she explained conspiratorially in as low a voice as she could muster, oblivious to Mai's blatant relief at having been spared The Talk.

_Thank the Founder for small favors._

"Yes! Good, Mikoto! And that's why Natsuki is coming to live with us," Mai concluded haphazardly, apparently satisfied as she smoothed the skirt of her ruby gown over her legs triumphantly upon standing. _Well, that went very—_

"Oh! Because Natsuki wants to have baby rabbits, too?" The honey-eyed girl seemed very pleased with herself for figuring out this complex puzzle. She frowned upon finding a misshapen piece. "But… only rabbits can have baby rabbits, Mai! So… Natsuki must want to have a baby _person_!" crowed she, flapping her arms about in excitement. "Is Natsuki having a baby person, Mai!? Should Mai and Mikoto get baby-person food!?"

—_terribly_. Mai watched in nonplus horror as Mikoto gallivanted off down the hilltop at a mind-dizzying pace without waiting for an answer, presumably to descend upon Chef Crete's kitchen for the second time that day in order to raid the special pantry stocked with jars of mashed vegetable kept on-site for visitors with children.

A sort of dull shock settled on Mai like stirred dust as indigo eyes stared, frozen, at the spot the black-haired girl had last been. Baby _rabbit_? Baby _person_!? Oh, Natsuki would _kill_ her, _surely_!

Just as Mai had seriously committed herself to analyzing, despairingly, how things could have possibly gone so wrong, a wheezy cough—one of necessity rather than a noise to announce one's presence—informed Mai of still more dramatics to turn a charming smile to. A figure moving over her trim green grass reminded her that she had, indeed, sent for this man, Dionysus-san, long before she'd known that, preceding their meeting, Mai's emotional stability would take a sharp down-swing while the odds of her becoming reckless in her exhaustion shot up.

"Ah, chivalry is not yet dead," the Otome put on her best face in order to better hide her dismay, standing to greet the knarred old man who, in actuality, was one of her leading diplomats in Black Valley's envoy group. Tokiha had made it her business to be on good terms with whichever diplomat managed to attain the Garderobe route—a route that existed rather than Mai going herself only because Cassio had gone skulking behind her back at some point and arranged it all, claiming that there was far too much to do homeland-wise to send the queen abroad. And with the extravagant security measures in place at Garderobe after the troubles with Duke Nagi, swapping designated envoys was a zero-sum operation.

"A year or more I'll be around yet," the white-haired tactician gave a crooked smile, revealing several places where teeth should have been but weren't. An inconsistent tone of skin under the lights showed that there had been a wound on every visible inch at some point or another, and he walked with a cane. "You have called, and I have come… though I'll admit to being here for selfish, curious reasons, too. How is your second round of royalty treating you, Tokiha-sama?"

"I curse more."

A scratchy laugh escaped Dionysus's throat. "Imaginable." Almost absently, the wispy male dug out from his front right pocket a golden pocket watch the size of his palm. The thing was strung with a thick brass chain, anchoring it to a belt loop, and seemed entirely untarnished by wear or age.

Natsuki had something like it, sentimentality-wise—a shining silver hairclip that Mai had commissioned for her during their Pearl years. It had been daring to risk discovery by tapping into the Tokiha coffers in Zipang when the entire East coast was looking for her, but the knowledge that the other woman was never seen without it even to this day made the risk worth it.

"You mentioned having words, I believe?"

Slowly, Tokiha reached into her robes, and extended a cylindrical metal document-tube containing a printed copy of the Rite of Incapacitation for the Black Valley-Garderobe representative to take with a perfectly faked expression of concern. There was no room for guilt at what the man might just consider a slight to his professional standing. "Why Dionysus-san, you don't look well at _all_!"

* * *

Which lead them here: in the Grand Council chambers with a very surprised Natsuki locking eyes with a very self-satisfied Mai.

"Really?" the Gakuenchou managed to force out, clinging to whatever amount of composure left to her—the majority of it having fled shortly after cutting off the woman with the twanging inflection. By now, they had all seated themselves appropriately in their designated seats based on Earl Geography, which Natsuki was very grateful for since she hadn't felt so steady on her feet anyway. Either the shock of Mai suddenly appearing in Natsuki's typical place of business and presiding over the Black Valley seat as if she'd been occupying it since her country joined the Council or simply the fact that Mai was lying so… _audaciously_ before an entire room of people who took what others said with a pound of salt _per word_.

The bluenette took a sip of water, pulling herself together. Or perhaps what made her so shaky with disbelief was the fact that they were genuinely _buying_ it.

"Yes, what a shame," the copper-haired man that had tried to appeal to her was saying, "that such a fine man has decided to resign… I suppose you'll be taking up Black Valley's chair henceforth?"

The entire room eyed the Fire String Ruby beadily. "Oh, yes." Lavender eyes had hardly strayed from emerald from the moment they'd connected when Natsuki had arrived. "I'm really very thrilled to be working with you… all."

The Second Column's throat felt suddenly very dry. There was no misinterpreting who that statement had been exclusively geared toward, considering how causally the last word had been tossed out as an afterthought. A few members had already taken it upon themselves to trace Mai's intent stare back to Natsuki, and it was those people whose features turned decidedly hawk-like.

Rather than risk things by testing to see how long Mai could continue wielding her political sword without nicking herself, Natsuki decided to pull the room's attentions back on the professional path. The usual monotony thereby followed, punctured every now and again by a moment in which tongues and tones grew heated and angry, leaving Natsuki to soothe ruffled features with practiced ease, the bluenette pretending not to notice those enchanting eyes of amethyst on her form.

It occurred to Natsuki once, towards the middle of the conference, to use that particular meeting as a platform to announce her resignation. However, because things weren't strictly official yet, the Pillar was left to merely toy idly with the idea in her mind for entertainment purposes. The imagined dumbfounded expression on Miss Maria's typically stoic face managed to make Natsuki smile coyly at just the wrong time, because upon snapping out of her trance, the Gakuenchou found no less than four people that had taken her misdirected interests in exactly the wrong way.

In short, the meeting couldn't have ended soon enough. When the last royal trickled out the exit—the roughest looking man one ever did see with thick, bushy, black eyebrows—Natsuki made no move to follow. Shuffling a sheaf of papers containing the confidential notes and concerns of individual countries that were too sensitive to be discussed in mixed company, emerald eyes trained themselves on the items before her rather than the attractive redhead lurking just in the corner of her vision. Natsuki wasn't quite sure what she was getting at with this silence, but was perfectly content with giving as much cold shoulder as she received, casting a cursory read over the work that awaited her that afternoon.

This lasted all of another thirty seconds—until suddenly the back of Natsuki's legs were slammed into the edge of the table she'd previously been standing before, causing them to give out in shock. The overall result turned out to be the headmistress seated upon the counter with her legs trapped against the furniture's side at a ninety-degree angle, hands pressed against mahogany wood, and Mai's glittering lilac eyes in focus only fractionally until warm, soft lips capturing her own.

Sensations that Natsuki could _definitely_ see herself becoming accustomed to excited her heart rate, the blood rush pounding through her ears as the two leaned close to one another. The warm weight of Mai's tongue traced her lips, which parted automatically to permit access, her own wet appendage slipping slyly over its visitor as the redhead's grip over the headmistress' hands loosened. Immediately, long-nailed digits pushed deftly through short silky tresses as Tokiha pulled her closer, wrapping her arms around the bluenette's neck while nibbling at her lover's bottom lip briefly in seductive play.

A particularly aggressive nip sent Natsuki gasping in a fit of thrall into Mai's mouth, where it rang out muffled in the back of Tokiha's throat. Mai shivered in reaction, yanking Natsuki flushed against her by a fistful of glossy hair, whereby the latter stumbled off the table with uncharacteristic gracelessness. Straining against their chests pressed forcefully against each other, the clash of teeth and exchange of hot saliva lasted for only a minute more, when deprivation of air eventually drove a stake between two eager mouths—but not the spider silk of liquid connecting them, though that broke not long afterward too.

Breathless and clinging to each other tightly, the couple said nothing for a tangle of moments, taking the opportunity to merely inhale one another's scent uninterrupted. Drowning in the perfumes of sugar, sweat, and an aroma so irresistibly _Mai_, Natsuki picked up on something… _else_. Different… A zesty twist of spice that the Ice Silver Crystal recognized as herself fluttered about the surface of her lover's tan skin and clung to her cloths. Apparently Mai had only the time to brush wrinkles and other visible evidence from her person before returning to surprise her in Garderobe rather than change her dress entirely since last night.

"I suppose you were made aware, Queen Tokiha," the raven-haired Otome murmured very close to her ear, "that there are certain things that Council visitors are _not_ to do with the Gakuenchou…"

Opening one lid to reveal the light grape-hued iris beneath, the busty woman seemed surprised that Miss Maria's scare tactics had made themselves known outside of frightened royals. Natsuki didn't really understand where that surprise originated from: it was her _job_ to Know.

Either way, Mai seemed interested, twisting a thick lock of cobalt hair around her index finger and tugging lightly. "Certain things?"

"No flirting, for a start."

The redhead snickered, hiding her face over Natsuki's shoulder and under the cascade of cerulean silk. "Strictly speaking, isn't the prospect of engagement a little higher of an offense than mere verbal enticement, _Gakuenchou_?"

_Fighting titles with titles?_

"Then I suppose the 'no kissing' rule is a mote point, then."

Mai coughed, taken aback, and retreated from behind her lover's curtain of glossy tresses. "Why on Earl does that rule need vocalizing?" Expressive violet eyes had turned into narrowed purple pits—though the Ice Silver Crystal privately entertained the thought that _jealousy-green_ would be a more appropriate shade.

"My _hand_, Tokiha," Natsuki said as innocently as possible, projecting an air of confusion and wonder as to how this method of greeting could offend anyone.

Mai eyed her unhappily, but the quirk of her lips gave her away. "You know, Natsuki, no person on this planet seems to think you capable of _half_ the deviousness I know you have in you," she complained. "Which is something _else_, in and of itself, considering how well your scheming orchestrates the goings-on of more than half of Earl."

Rather than becoming smug about her power or annoyed at being named 'scheming', Natsuki seemed entirely unfazed. "Why should they suspect me of anything?" Lithe shoulders rolled in a graceful shrug, disturbing the sleek locks that had fallen from her now non-existent ponytail—the ribbon to which the emerald-eyed woman tucked away into her pocket. "After all, what good might negotiators be if they couldn't convince a royal that some treaty or compromise was the latter's own genius in the first place?"

A sparkling laugh escaped Mai's throat as she pulled the ivory-skinned Otome in for a comparably chaste kiss. When the two parted, Mai sighed, a stream of hot air gusting against the pale column of the other female's neck. "I want to take you home so badly, Natsuki…"

Shell-pink lips curved in a light smile. "I can't exactly up and leave whenever I feel like it, Mai. And believe me, I _feel_ like it."

Stalling in her answer, the redhead instead plucked the bluenette's left hand from her side and began to trace idle patterns on the palm. The smooth, creamy surface was cool—not completely _cold_—as opposed to the Fire String Ruby's perpetual warmth at her fingertips. "I talked to Mikoto about you today."

Natsuki stiffened in the other's arms, half-considering pulling back, but know already that it wasn't really an option. The brilliant Second Column always had her reasons. She cared what Miss Maria thought because she had to; cared about Mai Tokiha's opinions of her because she _wanted_ to; cared for Mikoto-the-cat-witch's view of her because… she had to. In a way, the little black-haired girl had captured her love's attentions (_unintentionally_, but regardless…) away from Natsuki for over half a decade. Mai and she had attended Garderobe, became roommates, and fell in love within the space of approximately four years—slightly less, even, as the number one Pearl had disappeared several weeks before their graduation.

On some level, Natsuki acknowledged that the uneven distribution of time spent between herself and the cat goddess made her significantly nervous. Mikoto had successfully secured her place at Mai's side during the time the two Otome had spent angsting apart, the wild girl's own relationship with the charming woman untouched by the turmoil and blame Natsuki herself had had no trouble assigning to her (ex?-)lover when finally things settled down enough after Duke Nagi for them to have their own personal battle.

And while Mai claimed that her world revolved around Natsuki, the latter was still convinced that a thumbs-down from Mikoto would have the former dropping their relationship with a speed unprecedented.

"What did she say?"

The queen seemed to cast about easily for a concise response, oblivious to the torture her scalding silence inflicted upon her lover's mind, before finally deciding. "She can't wait to teach you to hunt," Mai smirked, teeth showing.

"Way to decimate the mood, Tokiha," Natsuki scowled, hiding her tentative relief that Mai's 'pet' apparently hadn't outright vetoed the idea, while brushing away the other woman sulkily at the reference to their surprise meeting during the height of Duke Nagi's attacks—one involving booby-trap nets, a grimy bluenette, a well-meaning Mikoto, and a certain Fire String Ruby who seemed all-too-amused by the situation.

And continued to be amused.

"Oh, Natsuki!" the redhead was leaning on the sturdy wooden desk to prevent herself from falling down laughing, cheeks flushed pink with mirth. "Come back here! I was only jesting!"

It was apparent to both females that Kruger would _not_ 'come here'—joke (of which it most certainly _was_) or no. The atmosphere between the two had turned light and playful as opposed to their previous aura of seriousness and sexuality, meaning that any chance of intimacy anytime soon had bowed itself out the door. Unfortunate, by any person's standards, but the Second Column was notorious in her resolve, and continued to put distance between their bodies.

Which appeared to be just as well, because, less than a few seconds after the slightly shorter Otome declared herself off-limits, a stampede of footsteps echoed from outside the door, making good time, since the chamber's occupants only had time enough to turn before the door opposite them burst open.

Sara Gallagher, Garderobe's First Column, made no pretense of announcing herself grandly besides being very conspicuous in her presence. Her straw-colored hair was ruffled and the black deerstalker cap perched atop her head was dangerously askew, as were her silver eyeglasses. She was also very out of breath, and so there was really nothing more for either party to do but eye each other oddly until the blond reached coherence once again.

When she did, Mai no longer felt even a remote urge to laugh.

"Gakuenchou!" Sara addressed Natsuki in panic. "Natsuki-san, Slaves are attacking the main gates!"

* * *

How much am I in the dog house for stalling this long? (_Looks as pitiful as possible_) Probably enough so that I should try very hard not to make any sudden moves… XP Hopefully this chapter doesn't have that 'rushed' feel (or worse: that 'slow' feeling) since I've been pulling something together on the sly in preparation for Natsuki's birthday (August 15!) just as I'm coming out of my own (July 24)! ^o- And now, an—

**Omake** (_to save my sorry soul_! O.o)! :

"Gakuenchou!" Sara tried again, waving her arms in an attempt to attract the bluenette's attention from her place in the doorway for the second time. Unfortunately, her announcement that the school was about to be overrun with giant, people-eating monsters just didn't seem to hold the same amount of gravity as pillaging the Black Valley Otome's mouth did.

"Um… Natsuki-san?"

The blond was beginning to look particularly put-out… and not just a _little_ _bit_ turned on. Strictly speaking… from a purely professional standpoint, that was… the byplay between the exceedingly gorgeous Gakuenchou and her strikingly attractive partner was pushing quickly into erotic territory. Sara gulped audibly, pulling distractedly at her collar as the room temperature became _too_ warm.

Objectively, of course.

Perhaps the thermostat was broken… which shed a completely rational light upon why, exactly, the redhead was unlacing Natsuki-san's blouse, right? And the Column _had_ to be unzipping Tokiha-san's dress for practical purposes, _obviously_.

"Ah, I-I'll just come back later," the blond said in as even a tone as possible, bowing herself out post-haste.

Not that anyone noticed.

Dazed and partially out of her right mind, Sara wandered absentmindedly past the long driveway leading down to Garderobe's main entryway where she'd left the Trias and a few other Meisters to fight, ambling towards the Column's lodgings half-way between the Gakuenchou's separate structure and the dorms where the students slept. Upon reaching her own room on the first floor of the closed building with the black-and-gold engraved plaque labeled 'First Column', Sara quickly locked the door behind her, and made plans for a long, cold shower.

A Slave attack seemed like less and less of an issue, anyway.

_It's all about perspective. O.o_

؏_Aurora_؁


	4. The Second Column’s Wrath

**Rating**: T—because you're worth it.

**Warnings**: Very slow updates. X.X

**Additional Notation**: Hey people! So, to clarify, this fic isn't _anywhere_ near abandoned, if anyone was getting that idea from the update pace. I just suck. I'm told there's a difference. Bringing it around to the point, I never meant to put chapter 4 off for so long. Those of you with fics can probably relate: one day you glance at the last update date for the story and feel sorry—suddenly it's two months later and then you're _really_ sorry. Enough of my shit, though.

I'd like to add that, if luck has anything to do with it, then I am _very_ lucky to have such brilliant reviewers. There's a trick to saying so in a way that doesn't sound toadying, but I don't know it, so I'll just say you people don't strike me as a group that would say something nice for the sake of saying something nice. Other writers can like however they like, but I'd rather have this than that. So really—thanks!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Mai Otome: Mai Otome owns me. O.o Not good.

* * *

_Chapitre_ 4:

**The Second Column's Wrath**

Mai Tokiha had been _this_ close—inwardly, she imagined a hair's breadth of distance—_this close _to convincing Natsuki Kruger to do something horribly risqué and uncouth there at the Column's table of the International Council chambers—she just _knew_ it. The right expression, the right words, one sincere smile: that was all it would take to mend everything and allow for Mai to make some sort of advance that could persuade a snake out of its skin.

Mai had been _this_ close.

"Attacking the school!? In broad daylight?" In a flurry of cerulean, Natsuki immediately took several quick steps forward to regard this latest sacrilege in their affair—at least in Mai's opinion—with calculated surprise. How anyone could go about their day appearing completely in-control despite bombshell after bombshell imploding in their lap was a mystery to Mai, but her lover seemed to step out of every situation as unruffled as she went in.

"I don't know all the details," Sara was admitting breathlessly, attention solely on Natsuki, and Mai listened more carefully than before, "but the Council had all completely left by the time Schwartz, I'd guess, started up for them—"

"Hazarding your own theories, Sara-san?" the Queen of Black Valley couldn't stop herself, lounging lazily with one leg folded on the tabletop of which she sat now, having previously pressed Natsuki against it, and the other leg swinging idly in a switching motion. The redhead looked for all the world as though the spot had been made for her, though hot irritation smoldered like angry coals just beneath the feigned looseness of her body. "I rather imagined that you sought to have the Gakuenchou do all your thinking for you."

The lightly tanned Otome could feel a burning green gaze of warning on her in addition to the ruffled-looking blonde's obvious start at the free-floating hostilities. And they _were_ free-floating at the moment; she and Sara usually got on very well, as Mai did with most people, but the blonde's interruption had been untimely, to say the least.

To general misfortune, Sara seemed to notice her in earnest for the first time; her blue eyes slid from Natsuki to Mai, and then to Natsuki again. "What have you two been—?"

A ground-rattling _bang _jolted through the room, surprising them all. Mai pushed herself back from the edge of her perch in an attempt to remain aloft while the black-garbed Otome jerked her head about to stare at the ceiling suspiciously. Natsuki merely looked disconcerted.

"Let's go," she finally ordered, gliding the length of the room with quick steps, Sara hot on her heels once the latter had realized that Natsuki had passed her. Their footsteps echoed in the cool corridor just beyond Mai's vision until a door opened, then closed, leaving the redhead with only herself and her thoughts.

Mai had been _this close_.

With a wry sort of grimace, the lavender-eyed woman vaulted from her surface in a flourish, landing neatly like a cat with a soft _tap_ on the empty chamber's dark tile, and adopted a smart pace at which to pursue the two. The sounds of fighting were muffled by the thick walls of the International Council building, but upon reaching the exit to the outside and tossing it open, everything became vividly loud.

Shouts and orders being tossed back and forth were audible even at the distance her position was in relation to the main gates of Garderobe. Flashes of light that indicated the spot where the Slaves were being fought off were visible over the treetops as were the darting forms of the Otome in combat.

Distractedly, violet eyes drifted to her left, and immediately honed in on the far-off building, shrouded by lovely willows and coy sycamores which left just enough to the imagination of what might lay beyond their veils of leafs, in which the Gakuenchou's personal rooms were located. It was probably a bad sign that seeing it in the daylight was such a novelty…

"WATCH IT!"

Something heavy and dark struck the flagstone courtyard like a miniature comet and exploded just feet away, bringing Mai sharply back to Earl as bits of debris showered herself, Natsuki, and Sara, with whom the redhead had finally caught up. Sara in particular looked as thought she was seriously contemplating going after Nao—who had thrown the haphazard warning—and never mind the Slaves. The Gakuenchou appraised the situation from a distance between them, only blinking as the pavement took a large pothole to its surface and the pungent smell of dust filled the air.

"Who allowed the Trias out?" asked Natsuki evenly, her black currant-colored locks gleaming freshly in the sun.

The First Column hesitated. "Nao." It was said without resolve or anything else that might have distracted from the fact that it was a lie. Something Natsuki probably realized but didn't care to examine.

"Shizuru-san told me to keep you safe," Sara went on to say, pretending not to notice Natsuki's immediate rigidness of posture, "but I thought you might appreciate looking on, all the same." She paused, glancing speculatively at the smoking chunk of what Mai deduced to be apart of the dark shell of a Slave that had not fully been defeated. "Maybe I didn't think this all the way through…"

"I don't need looking after," Natsuki said darkly, emerald eyes a vibrantly beautiful color despite her ire—or perhaps because of it.

"Indeed, if you insist upon having someone Materialized accompanying her, Sara-san, I'd be more than honored to—"

The bespectacled woman smiled apologetically, pushing her silver frames further upon the bridge of her nose. "I'm sorry; I know she'd be safe in your capable hands, Mai-san, really I do. But for this sort of thing, it's required that a Column escort the Gakuenchou until all settles." She gave a helpless sort of shrug.

A part of Mai stirred angrily at being told that someone _else_ was more qualified to protect her fiancée than she was, but because Natsuki was watching her shrewdly to perhaps see how Mai would react, the Black Valley Queen subsided.

Slightly.

"At the very least, I may as well back them up, since I'm here," Mai switched tactics casually, Materializing smoothly in a familiar flash of fire. Inwardly, she couldn't very well lie that her only concern was Natsuki's safety, (and maybe something vague for her old school,) but outwardly, it would seem a little too protective.

"If you… _must_." Natsuki, in the meantime, seemed to have to force the words out through gritted teeth—though whether this was due to a protective urge of her own or merely more indignation that her ability to help was capped due to her status was hard to say. Mai couldn't help but flatter herself by leaning towards the former—the idea that Natsuki had to go out of her way to appear indifferent in public with she as the cause was as heartening as it was endearing. But it was much easier to guess what had triggered the deep pink flush across ivory cheeks, as Natsuki had already admitted several months prior to being _deeply_ attracted to Mai's Materialized state.

For that very reason, the Otome took her time in departing, flicking her auburn tresses lightly behind her ear while gently levitating herself a foot or so from the ground. Mai even favored her love with a sassy smile as Sara joined her in the transformed state, teasingly scarcely above a breath, "Anything you like, Kruger?"

"Oh, _yes_."

Mai looked very put-out as Natsuki eyed Sara's turned back as obviously as possible, now protected by a tough black cape and coal-colored armor. The deerstalker cap and silver glasses had also been replaced by a dark eye mask that tied in the back. Like the blonde's miraculously corrected eyesight during the time in which she activated her gem, Mai wasn't exactly sure how the situation with her ruby-colored scarf—which had appeared wrapped around her neck as per usual—worked out, considering the redhead had not taken it back when she'd departed early that morning. If there was a chance that Natsuki might greet her wrapped in—and _only_ in—the soft length of fabric, then Mai would have been glad to never see it until then.

The lavender-eyed Meister took further to flight, ignoring the jibe with dignity as the smooth, cool airstreams swept down from the north, the promise of winter amid their breeze. The leaves and branches swaying beneath her sang with it, pale planes of frost—the first hints of it for the season—glimmering between gaps in the foliage against compact earth at the tree roots. While close proximity to the hot, arid desert would keep at bay the truly bone-chilling blizzards that Zipang was infamous for—something Mai had experience first-hand as a little girl—both Black Valley and Garderobe were so geographically similar that whatever ice here could be considered a prelude to whatever weather would claim Black Valley next.

Nao, who had previously been shaking off a truly forceful collision with something that probably hadn't had much yielding in it—quite possibly the council chamber roof—seemed less than thrilled by her presence, judging by the scowl on her face. "Don't you have a country to run?" the cherry-haired Otome snapped, hovering stationary, mid-air above the forest in a way that implied her interest in vanquishing Mai to be greater than that invested in the roaring monstrosities below.

"You know," Mai pulled to a stop beside her, "I _do_, actually. So you can stop pretending to have no coordination whatsoever hence I can get back to it." Her doubts that Nao's feint had been just that coated every syllable like thick, oozing goo, which seemed to annoy the younger woman several time more than what it ought to have. Fortunately, the conversation distracted when something shiny and the color of dark rosewood sailed between them: a shoddily detached piece of shell. This was followed almost immediately by yet another loud _crack_ as Slave met stone and Sara shouted curses at Nao furiously from the ground, apparently willing to ignore the slacker's obvious un-involvement.

The sharp sound of disrupted air behind her caused Mai to jerk around, then pivot out of the way just in time to avoid an unfriendly encounter with the sharp, spear-like end of a massive stinger-like tail. The crimson-black hue of the Slave's exoskeleton flashed alarmingly in the blazing light before the Slave—which strongly resembled a scorpion of epic proportions—struck out once more, this time with one of two shiny pincers the size of large boulders.

Mai tossed a seething ring of fire at its cephalothoraxes in morbid curiously, where both hers and the Slave's yellowed irises stayed trained until the blue-bell flame made contact, leaving a large angry welt behind. With a snarling hiss, eight legs scuttled forth in agitation to retaliate against the redhead, who dove towards the ground in an artful twist in order to get a better shot at the softer underbelly of the giant.

The arachnid-type Slave's colossal curling stinger straightened out once again to deliver a lethal attempt, the beast's rage pulsating almost tangibly through the air. Mai fell back very slightly in flight, circumnavigating a tall, balding tree whose majority of thin brittle leaves littered the ground, helplessly stirred by the disrupted air but only briefly animated as they fell back to Earl once more.

Tokiha cursed as a loud _crack_ split the air (and the tree's trunk, presumably) in two, showering the remaining pitifully-few pieces of sickly-gold foliage while moving haphazardly through other fuller trunks. Bramble scraped along her legs and arms, the cold air biting her skin everywhere else. Unable to plot her direction ahead of time, it was with considerably surprised that she noticed the trees suddenly thinning, and then thereafter simply ceasing to grow. A lush green lawn that looked oddly _familiar_—

It took a matter of seconds to realize that she'd inadvertently led the monster back to the Garderobe courtyard, but when it finally clicked, the redhead halted abruptly. With a sense of dawning horror, Mai locked eyes with a perfectly furious Sara, who looked formidable with both arms crossed firmly about her chest and lips curled tightly in a sneer. Natsuki, with whom she'd been engaged in conversation, was paler than usual (no mean feat, considering how sparsely her work allowed her to encounter the sun) and her dark emerald eyes shone twice as distinct when the Slave's crushing weight mowed over both tree and shrub, forcing the redhead to stand and deliver.

"Mai-san!"

Mai grunted while ducking one large pincer and taking off in an S-swerve midair. "Can this wait, Sara-san!?"

"It definitely can't! Get that thing out of here!"

A grunt of effort. "That _really_ isn't up for discussion." Mai took haphazard aim at the underside of the large creature's shell. Alternative kicks of power and adrenaline pumped through her veins in choppy bursts from her gem, putting the redhead slightly off-balance… but it was such a _sweet_ daze. Mai could feel the burning gaze of her lover boring into her back with every move, which seemed to excite her gem even more even as the queen's thoughts quickened, becoming fast and reckless in her mind. It was approximately then when a brilliant idea occurred to Mai—the cleverest of them all, surely: that Natsuki would be very impressed indeed if she could only see the redhead fight to win.

From that point, it was no longer about defending anything, but instead showing off before her fiancée.

The golden rings revolving about her arms immediately ignited in bell-blue flames, emitting new waves of heat that didn't dare touch the Meister's skin, but spat angrily at the scorpion, which bristled in rage. It could have been that the slave found the fire to be offensive, or perhaps Mai's desire to prove herself was too great to be held in check; no matter the trigger, soon the two powers were exchanging blows at a rapid pace, forcing the First Column away from the Gakuenchou's side. Mai didn't notice this until the blonde was nearly upon her, and by then, it was too late to prevent the following from occurring.

The entire thing seemed to happen in slow motion. First Mai turned to acknowledge that she knew Sara was there, a slipshod thing to do by itself, but made infinitely worse by a half-hearted strike on the lavender-eyed Otome's part—infuriating the beast just enough while Sara provided an unintentional distraction.

"Get that thing out of here, Tokiha!" the First Column snapped acidly from somewhere very close behind her as two thick pincers parted to make way for the spiked tale of the Slave making its own attack. At a human voice, Mai's one-tract mind reached a fork and abruptly lost focus, leaving Mai feeling very startled to be in the centre of an attack. The fire lining her rings fell back to the duller heat of saffron-hued flames as she stopped midair to stare at Sara dumbly. It couldn't have been but a moment of inattention, yet in that time a jarring cry rose from the direction of the inner courtyard, attracting the attention of both Otome whom jerked their heads around cagily.

She hadn't identified the source of the sound immediately—mostly because whenever Natsuki screamed in her presence it was never out of _pain_. It was like Mai's heart had tensed, and then pulled itself apart in two different directions. Even from her stalk-still position a considerable distance away, the redhead could make out the crimson shade of blood as well as the even more disconcerting impression of Natsuki on her knees.

Natsuki knelt for no one and nothing.

"Natsuki-san!" Sara shouted, pelting forward as fast as she could, but Mai was faster. The curvy woman was at the bluenette's side in seconds, stooping to the ground where large blots of blood had escaped a wide gash running down Natsuki's right calf. The dark material of her pants matted messily with the wound and something that Mai couldn't bare to know was bone flashed white and unnatural in the sunlight.

Natsuki herself was positively colorless. The rich emerald of her eyes were veiled by a twisted expression indeed; one that contorted her exquisiteness in pain. Her lips, usually a light shade of pink, were caught tightly between the bluenette's teeth, and ruby-red compared to the chalky hue of her cheeks now tinged with green.

The busty woman opened her mouth to make a few urgent inquiries, but Yohko—who had supposedly popped out of thin air—shoved her aside with startling force considering that she, like Natsuki, was un-materialized while Mai by comparison was armed enough to take Aries.

At that point, both the scientist and Sara, who had long-since landed beside her, proceeded to pepper her lover with a bunch of foolish questions including, but not limited to, "Are you alright?"—_of course she isn't; look at all the blood!_ Mai thought incredulously—and "Does your leg hurt?"—_no, that bone-deep gash can even be worth noticing…_

A few questions in, Natsuki still hadn't responded. She did, however, manage to uncurl her lips at length, hissing between them something unrecognizable as words. It physically hurt—somewhere near the center of her chest—to hold the knowledge of Natsuki's pain and how she'd indirectly caused it with her carelessness.

The length of crimson ribbon that Mai had dislodged from Natsuki's hair before Sara had come charging in to distract them lay limply on the drab concrete of the courtyard, and Mai felt a sudden pang of anguish. She'd never had the chance to tell Natsuki how beautiful her sleek raven locks had looked in that fountain hairstyle that had stolen the redhead's breath away when the bluenette first entered the Council room. How happy Mai was when forest irises seemed to light up in response to noticing her waiting in the chambers where before she'd failed to show.

All that frustration and sorrow and fury combined into tumultuous rage, flickers of chaotic, aimless anger honing in on one thing and one thing only:

The redhead roared wrathfully and wordlessly into the skies, immediately taking to the air in pursuit of the thing that had hurt her fiancée. The arachnid beast was already in full retreat, scuttling down the slope and out the front gates in a mad dash. If one didn't know any better, one might think the Slave afraid of the girl!

"Mai-san! Stop!" Sara Gallagher ordered, giving chase with wide eyes as the Fire String Ruby raced after the retreating monstrosity with an aura of madness. "Mai-san! _Mai-san_!"

But she _couldn't_ stop. Furious violet eyes darkened with rage honed in on the terrified beast before her as her heart beat echoed like excited war drums in her ears. How _dare_—? It… _Natsuki_—! _Oh_, she couldn't _think_ through her rage!

With a scream of pure, unadulterated ire, the redhead directed a ring of blazing heat at the Slave's dark rose shell. The horrible creature gave a series of high screeches as its body became an inferno, cooking its flesh from exoskeleton inward. A truly awful stench filled the air as Mai finally became coherent enough to shake off her tantrum, lavender eyes still slightly dazed as she came to a quavering stop in midair.

"Mai-san!" Sara had finally caught up, blond hair sticking, windswept, in every which way. She stared in wide-eyed wonder at the cooking mound of rancid Slave, which even now began to fade into dazzling green sparkles of sky-bound light. "Mai-san…" Now it was pronounced with a tone of suppressed awe.

Suddenly, a blinding, mind-shattering pain at the back of her neck blasted through her every sense, overwhelming the saffron-haired woman immediately. A thick veil of black darkness closed in around her, and Mai knew no more.

* * *

They had all seen Natsuki Kruger angry before.

"That," Natsuki snarled at the brunette for the first time in recent memory, "was something better left undone by any creature touched with the light of intelligence."

But rarely was the Gakuenchou this visibly furious.

The Gakuenchou's office was a battleground in every sense that counted. Aside from Kruger and Viola, Zhang and Gallagher were standing at attention by the wall. Even Nao, whose good judgment was commonly called into question, saw the wisdom in making herself into as small a target as possible in light of the Second Column's wrath.

For her part, the Third Column, who had always made a point of answering to no one, looked properly abashed at being called out by her love interest. However, a certainly something in her spine, which remained proudly straight, made the emerald-eyed woman aware of a distinct lack of remorse in relation to the incident at hand.

The Fourth Column, looking just about as unapologetic as Viola but with the tactlessness and gall to voice it, scowled. "Incase you failed to noticed, she was completely out of her godforsaken mind!" Nao pointed out irritably.

"At least she had the decency to be 'out of her mind' on the right _side_," Sara jeered back, clearly intending to hold a grudge for nearly being crushed by the stray bit of Slave for as long as possible. A creeping flush made its way to the cherry-haired Otome's face, but dissipated almost immediately.

"Damn you anyways, Gallagher! I had everything under control!"

"In the _loosest_ sense of the word—_if_ _that_, surely," the flaxen-haired Otome baited her aggressively, taking a step forward. Adrenaline still rushed through all of their veins, and robbed of a target, the two set their sights on each other.

Releasing a long, fluent stream of curses in a show of rather uncharacteristic impatience —the overwhelming majority having been picked up from Nao herself at different points over the years—Natsuki threw up her hands in exasperation and stormed from the room. The other occupants' startled stares made no matter in the emerald-eyed Otome's distracted mind when things seemed to be falling apart at a rapid pace.

As if sensing its abandonment upon the horizon, the sentient essence of Garderobe seemed to be getting as much work and stress out of its Gakuenchou as possible before Natsuki's engagement moved her to Black Valley. Indeed, in the absence of Slave attacks there were meetings about Slave attacks, and in the absence of _those_, paperwork about the meetings _about_ Slave attacks and similar things. Meanwhile, her lover lay deathly-still in cold unconsciousness and all Natsuki wanted to do was lock the door, curl up next to her and cry.

Yohko-sensei had been uncommonly flexible in her allowance for Mai's stay in the State Guestroom rather than the hospital bay when Natsuki had half-madly demanded it. She oddly asked no questions and went out of her way to make the journey from the sciences building to the living section of campus to administer the hourly medications necessary for the rapid healing of the brain. And if she detected the Gakuenchou's distinct distress at the Black Valley Otome's injury, she didn't say so. Natsuki didn't say anything either.

Entering the Guestroom, the bluenette tucked the door closed and locked it as quietly as possible. She didn't know why she bothered, since the golden sunlight framing Mai's head like a halo showed the pretty female hadn't moved since she'd left. Natsuki had been suspicious of just how sentient the Ice Silver Crystal was for awhile yet—people acted so _strangely_ whenever she entered a room—and in times like this, she couldn't help but suspect it further. When Natsuki was slightly younger, the Gakuenchou retiring the school to her had mentioned that the Crystal could inflict things upon other gems, but said it so vaguely that the newly graduated Otome hadn't understood what she meant.

Kruger ran a light hand over her lover's soft locks. "Why can't the Founder just be happy for us?"

Of course, Mai had no answer but a quiet sigh in her sleep. The lithe woman crossed the room slowly and curled up in a seat tucked neatly away in the shadows cast by the canopy under the candelabra's soft light. Her dark hair sliding loosely over the arm of the chair where her head rested, Natsuki's brilliant emerald eyes stared fixedly at Mai's still form, willing her to wake.

* * *

She did come around eventually. It took a bit longer than that for the redhead to actually open her eyes, but when Mai did so, it was to be greeted by a room that didn't match her memory of the Garderobe hospital wing that she'd visited as a Coral (courtesy of Natsuki and an ill-fated sparing match). Well-polished wood paneled walls flashed their lacquer finish at her while unsheathed windows allowed a cool breeze to air the room. A luxurious balcony was carved from the far side of the space, veiled by curtains, and somewhere to her right, a clock ticked the time away.

Somewhere between the click of the second hand and flicker of the minute one, it all came flooding back. A fight, the slave, baiting Nao, Sara's ire, Natsuki—Natsuki! That was it! Natsuki, hurt; Natsuki, on her knees; and Mai hadn't done a thing to help her. Mai had to know if she was alright, _immediately_. With this in mind, the Fire String Ruby squinted and then schemed, and eventually pulled herself together enough to raise a single palm, with the intention of providing herself with momentum to climb out of bed.

"How's the head?"

Mai's hand dropped limply to the bedcovers in surprise while her torso twisted reflexively to allow her to stare at the shadowed corner of the room. The beautiful silhouette of her lover etched in sunlight sitting comfortably on a reading chair with a book cradled to her chest was a worthy concession for the faint pounding in her head. Tokiha exhaled in sheer relief.

"Are you alright?" she demanded to be doubly certain, brushing off the other's question as less important.

Natsuki closed her tome thoughtfully, a half-smile on her lips. "I'm quite well, actually. Yohko-sensei managed to flush out the embedded cloth before my nanomachines healed the wound fully… But then, I'm not the one that was knocked over the head with one thousand pounds of square pressure."

The slight edge to Natsuki's musical voice said more about the bluenette's concern than actual words could. And so, after the redhead was certain that her almost-fiancée was completely intact, she allowed the slant of the conversation to tilt towards herself.

"The only thing worse," the redhead told her, "than enemy fire is friendly fire. In this case, that would be because Shizuru-san hosts a fairly jealous reason to knock me to insensibility."

"I don't know about that," Natsuki amended. The bluenette spoke ambiguously, reluctant to believe that her friend would react thusly if she was suspicious of Natsuki herself finding affections beyond the two of them. "In any case, if Shizuru hadn't knocked you out first, the probability is high that Sara-san would have carried the idea to term instead. I wonder if you've noticed how incensed she was with your stupidity."

The redhead's expression turned very sour. "Don't try to comfort me." As she spoke, the Fire String Ruby stretched with caution, rolling her shoulders experimentally in search of strains or stiffness. There was very little of the latter, and thankfully none of the former, so the Otome summarily swung her legs over the edge of her mattress and made to stand.

"Excuse _me_, Tokiha," the very unimpressed Gakuenchou of Garderobe rose from the chair before striding forward with an air of authority that existed more subtly in situations that involved ordering powerful people around but became more pronounced when dealing with stubborn Otome who thought themselves indestructible. Gently, soft ivory palms pushed against her lover's chest, forcing her back on the petal-soft covers. "What gave you the entirely mistaken impression that you were free to roam about?"

A discontent noise in the back of the other woman's throat made Natsuki frown, inferring that the royal wasn't about to be deterred so easily. Sure enough, Mai didn't hesitate before winding their fingers together from where Natsuki's still lay pressed against her breast, earning a flicker of interest behind resolved green irises that shone in concern for her health.

Mai smiled charmingly. "Natsuki-lovely, I'm not about to leave you. I'd just like some fresh air, that's all."

The bluenette exhaled delicately at the term of endearment, unable to muster up the ability to say 'no' in its wake. The slender Otome offered her hand, allowing the redhead to grasp it in her own before pulling her lover into a standing position. Mai teetered precariously for a few paces—Natsuki eyeing her warily to ensure she didn't fall—but made her way to the balcony through which a light breeze ruffled the diaphanous curtains. From there, she edged her way over to the white-wash stone railing and leaned back, supporting herself with her elbows from behind in order to appreciate how beautiful Natsuki looked that…morning? Afternoon?

"How long was I out?"

The fair-skinned woman counted something soundlessly off on her fingers. "Awhile. Four hours. Your head took a good knock around—"

"_Shizuru_-san gave it a good knock around," Mai cut in. Natsuki immediately stopped talking and didn't start again. Mai's eyes narrowed. "Natsuki?"

"I know that. I do know that." She paused for a very long stretch of time that Tokiha didn't like. The hopeless expression she adopted when the subject of Viola's clear recklessness came up was even harder to swallow.

"I hate to make this about Shizuru-san, Natsuki," Tokiha did so none the less, "but every time she comes up in a conversation by daylight, you become very _strange_, and you never can look me in the eye quite _right_."

Startled, the dark-haired woman gripped the side of the balcony door forcefully enough to turn her fingers a pearl color. She seemed to struggle in earnest with her vocabulary, as though, despite all her public speaking over the years, conveying her emotions verbally to her lover was the most difficult task she'd ever attempted. Tiring of watching the other Otome steel herself to talk as if Mai would actually bite her, the Meister turned herself around and stared moodily out at the trees of Garderobe forest. Surely no one could ever be as taken as Mai was with Natsuki, but sometimes the cobalt-haired beauty was altogether too frustrating.

Suddenly but smoothly, slender digits wound themselves through carrot-colored tresses, massaging the scalp and teasing knots from the glossy mane. The tender touch never failed in making Mai extremely unsteady on her legs, and indeed the queen was forced to clutch the banister desperately to avoid melting into a pile of goo at the loveliest Gakuenchou's feet. Estimating that she couldn't take much more of this without forgetting Natsuki's crime permanently, the lavender-eyed woman shook her head jerkily.

"I'm not in the mood, Natsuki," warned Mai in a terse tone, forcing herself to be rigid under her lover's silky ministrations. The smooth, soothing fingers froze instantaneously before falling limply from their relaxing course through saffron locks, to Mai's overwhelming regret.

For three long minutes, neither Otome moved. Aware that the rather cold female could hold a silence forever, Mai finally turned to her with no less resolve than before… and abruptly felt it all melt away. Sulking in the threshold between inside and out, Natsuki looked thoroughly miserable—like a dog being called by its two owners from opposite sides of the room and uncertain of who to answer.

Exhaling, Mai propped her head up by an elbow and stared. "This isn't getting us anywhere."

Natsuki sighed too and straightened out a bit. "I don't like to choose between you."

"But if you had to? And you're going to, you know, if you intend to accept—"

"_When_." Natsuki glared. "Not if. That hasn't changed."

The redhead regained a bit of her calm. "_When_ you accept my proposal."

Rich forest irises stared her down for a moment before looking away. "No matter what, Mai, the only thing… I've ever really wanted was to… to be with you." She struggled slightly with the words like she sometimes did during her fully-conscious confessions of affection, a pretty blush decorating her cheeks. She was able to meet Tokiha's eye after a moment of collecting herself, and held the softened lavender gaze with no less amount of feeling than before. "I'll want that for the rest of our lives. You told me before that I'm not happy here… That's not entirely true. I can be happy here if you're happy here with me, but that can't be so because you must return to Black Valley… I _want_ to be happy, Mai. I've been unhappy for so long, and it scares me how I become when I'm not with you. It's only a wish of mine that Shizuru might want that for us too. Want that for _me_."

Mai then found that she could find it in herself to feel sorry for Viola. That was because Natsuki wanted something from the brunette that Shizuru-san surely couldn't give anymore than Mai could if asked. Natsuki wanted Shizuru-san to give away her love for her, but the bluenette couldn't possibly know the hopelessness of ceasing to love Natsuki Kruger when one had already started.

So Mai told her that.

"I think," the queen murmured, picking up one of the hands that had massaged her scalp so gently before and tracing it over with her own, "that it isn't fair to ask that of Shizuru-san. When someone like you—and there's only been you that's ever come close to being _anything_ like you—enters a person's life, Natsuki, that person can't imagine changing back. Things are just too great with you around… Anyway, I don't want her hurt to hurt you."

Kruger looked particularly pained at this advice, but nodded all the same. Mai wasn't foolish enough to think the greatest person in her life had accepted it already, but thinking it over worked just as well.

"In any case," the curvy woman distracted, "why is it that I'm locked away here instead of confined to the hospital wing? Not that I mind, particularly with such a temptress looking after me," teased Mai, smug in her knowledge that only she could walk away unscathed after calling the young Gakuenchou such a thing; or better yet, get closer.

Far from becoming sexually magnetic in a fiery stance of indignation, the temptress caught her tongue between her teeth in thought—alluring in its own way. "Oh, you know. A polite request," she stated vaguely, though a flush of color bloomed on each of her cheeks. Picking up on the mischievous glint in Mai's eye—or at least inferring _something_ from the way her curvaceous lover's lips curled in an entitled smirk, Natsuki quickly rallied. "You see, you went a bit mad after… something specific."

Raising a brow at the uncharacteristic vagueness with which Natsuki digressed from what promised to be a worth-while account, Mai could tell she was talking about the Slave attack. She had stopped attempting to remember after recalling the heart-stopping image of her very life crouched awkwardly on the ground with red around her, but something important…

Tokiha grimaced. Oh. Right.

"What are the Pillars saying?" Tokiha asked the Second of five with a healthy measure of apprehension.

"The Columns are concerned for your stability," Natsuki admitted. "Your pursuit of justice this afternoon was… _terrifyingly_ impressive."

"With emphasis on 'terrifying', I imagine."

Soft lips curved in a reserved smile and bottle-green eyes averted demurely. "You certainly made an impression."

"Did I make an 'impression' on you?"

Natsuki's emerald gaze rounded on her thistle one levelly. "Rephrase that, please."

Mai had the grace to look embarrassed at her bitter tone. "Sorry, that wasn't fair. I've simply never lost control like that before," she admitted.

The wind moved around Natsuki. The cool bite of winter was mostly starved off by the warm woolen cloak wrapped around Mai's shoulders, and for Natsuki, a silky cotton jacket seemed to serve a similar task. The soft breeze caused raven locks to flutter just so, providing an enticing picture.

"They don't know what to make of it."

Mai watched her lover lean casually with superb grace against the railing. "But _you_ do."

Oh! That flash of brilliance in those verdant irises was simply _ravishing_! "I have theories," Natsuki drawled easily, gliding once around the redhead without averting her eyes, forcing Mai to turn with her to keep eye contact. "I have guesses."

Suddenly, it was very difficult to swallow—and now that she thought of it, since when _did_ the winter chill turn to summer boil? "O-oh? I don't suppose you're willing to part with a few…?"

"I can be very generous, Mai," the bluenette assured her, finishing her satellite around the barely-taller female. It didn't seem to occur to her to move closer—but then, Mai knew the green-eyed woman never ceased to think of everything.

Tugging the beautiful Otome flushed against her, Mai pressed her forehead to the fairer woman's, locking gazes purposefully in order to better appreciate the fleeting look of surprise across Natsuki's dark-light features. "You'll be generous with me, hm?" the sunset-haired Meister toyed, pretending to consider that.

Sharpened green irises stopped Mai's lungs. "Your Materialization this afternoon was more unnatural than they know." In contrast, Natsuki was positively breathless. Their faces weren't even an inch apart, and the bluenette's vividness was intoxicating.

"Unnatural?" The words moved the redhead's lips against pale pink as subtly as the brush of a feather. Their smoldering glares locked more passionately than before.

"Nothing called you to the state you were in."

"The threat to you called me there," Tokiha corrected, biting Kruger's lip twice by sheer proximity of their mouths.

This more than anything else she could have said seemed to turn emerald eyes up a dozen watts. "But _I _didn't," Natsuki insisted, speaking into her Otome's throat, their teeth clicking. "I never formally summoned you to my defense, Mistress to Meister. I never needed to authorize you or wear my ring to form a connection—it happened on its _own_."

The two were nearly panting by this point, the hot breath passing from one female to the other, and then recycling itself again. The dull throb of her head didn't even register anymore as Mai basked in the pleasure of her lover not only referring to the part of the Fire String Ruby set into ring form as _hers_, but also the irrepressible fact that discussing this new link between them was almost unspeakably intimate. Something shared and understood—or at least it needed to be; which was what drove the next line from flushed red lips in nothing more than an exhalation of air.

"But it was you—on the other end of that bond. I could feel it. There's no one else like you. Nothing as satisfying, as celestially radiant, as—" Mai said this all very fast, and then abruptly sucked in a gasp of realization. Natsuki watched her carefully. "You felt it too, didn't you? The pain, the blows—"

"Don't." Obediently, the Meister stopped. Natsuki's sheer presence seemed to suck in the pulse of all around her to make herself that much more captivating. "Don't think for a _second_ that I didn't know what I was getting into when I gave myself to you." The sharp words were snapped out with such viciousness that the Gakuenchou inadvertently sliced into the other's motionless tongue with her ice-white teeth. For whatever reason—another type of instinct that defied reflex—Mai didn't reel back. The metallic tang of blood leaked into her senses for a fraction of a second before Natsuki was there, sucking on the cut she'd inflicted in apology. The sensual pull of her nursing continued even after the blood ceased to spill, and Tokiha regretted it when she did eventually stop. Their breathing was much more sensible now, but their distance (or lack there of) hadn't changed.

"The recklessness," Natsuki suddenly continued as though she'd never paused, "the power spurts both used something from you and something from me to make what you did possible. But it's too much for you—or at least, too much for _me_ to watch," she amended as though concerned that her almost-fiancée might take offense.

Mai didn't, but she did ask a question. "What did that… thing use?"

The ivory skin of Natsuki's face glowed eerily, and Natsuki looked very intently at her for a lingering space of time before deflecting. "Ask me again," she said neatly, pulling something from her pocket. "When you ask me about this—" Mai's gaze flickered to the Fire String Ruby as the dark-haired woman slipped it back on her finger where it naturally belonged "—then ask me again."

"It isn't too dangerous for you to wear?"

Pale lips twisted in a baffling smirk. "Rather, it's more dangerous for me _not_ to wear."

Mai let her keep that cryptic remark passively, already less interested in that than coiling her arms around the deceptively delicate shoulders of her lover as sender fingers casually wound their way to her tresses as before. Shortly after their comfortable silence began, a darkly musical purr whispered through the air directly next to her ear. It was pleasantly startling at first, easy to mistake for the tenor of the flute or pulse of the violin, but Mai didn't have to turn to know it was Natsuki humming contentedly while moving her fingers hypnotically over her scalp.

"You're lovely," Mai sighed at her when the dark-haired woman paused between switching tunes.

"So are you."

"I meant your humming," Mai clarified.

"I know. I just meant you're lovely."

* * *

I think I can better appreciate the people who wrote the books I've been forced to read in Literature class. I still hate them for their efforts in going out of their way to be boring, but just think: these guys have entire legions of slacking scholars after their blood for C- essay grades! I just have a group of people who don't know where I live. O.o

I also figured out what to do about anonymous reviews, something that's been having me at more of a loss than it should since the start of this fic. I'll answer them on LiveJournal! It's about time I found a use for my account over there! Everyone else has… But enough being bitter. I'm VanillaSlash over there too, but the link is in my profile if you'd like! I have a hard time believing that anyone will guess the identity of the character point of view in the Omake, but I'd love to see you try…

_(An)_ **Omake** _(or a prediction?)_ :

It was very quiet in the sciences lab of Garderobe Academy. Quiet enough to hear a whisper clear across the room, and quiet enough to pick up on the steady drip of chemicals oozing harmlessly in thick glass pipes many yards away from the display of computer screens reviewing with high definition clarity the goings on of the school after-hours.

But it wasn't quite so silent that the Otome stationed motionlessly before the panels of plasma monitors could hear the murmured words exchanged between the two lovers twisting so tightly around each other that it seemed impossible that they could be, in fact, two separate entities.

It didn't matter.

Not really, at least. _Just _friends didn't suck blood from each other's cuts like licentious vampires or eye each other as though seeing a most luscious delicacy for the first time. Allies didn't do what these two did—and if they had, they wouldn't have done it half as well.

A hand reached up to eject the tape without satisfaction.

It didn't matter.

She could guess enough.

_  
And so on._

؏_Aurora_؁


	5. Intercession

**Rating**: T, to keep it real.

**Warnings**: Author is abducted by aliens. Frequently.

**Additional Notation**:

I think we need a bit of a Q & A, heart-to-heart thing to happen here. O.o If you're interested, I mean. Just a few questions that are being tossed around in reviews which I feel need to be answered and such! It's at the bottom of the chapter!

**Disclaimer**: I hereby disavow all connection to Mai Otome. This message will self-destruct in five seconds.

* * *

_Chapitre_ 5:

**Intercession**

Between two points—Natsuki's beautiful song and the heart-stoppingly sweet statement of pure affection that Mai rarely was graced with by daylight—a string of kisses had taken form. Some were fast and others gentle, but through the entirety, Mai couldn't keep her hands still.

She loved everything about her first and only love—from their conversations to Natsuki's curves. But what she loved most, Mai reflected while bringing her mouth to the juncture of the pale column of Natsuki's throat and deceptively delicate shoulder, was _this_.

A swift lick to the warm flesh served as the bluenette's sole warning before Mai's lips formed an 'o', sucking bitingly on the skin.

Instantaneously, a violent jolt excited Natsuki's spine. Closed eyelids snapped open before jerking shut once more as her back curved elegantly into the attention, the bluenette's breath at first coming in short hisses. Before long, indistinguishable shushing noises gave way to one loud gasp, and from there on out, an erratic stream of flowing languages—most of which Mai couldn't identify and all of which she couldn't understand—gushed forth like the most cultured song in the world on Natsuki's lips.

Her lover refused to translate for her when asked after both were too spent to move, fair cheeks lighting up like a sunset. This didn't stop Mai from guessing—though of course not sharing her theories with her mistress who remained so adamant about never interpreting the words that the redhead's efforts unconsciously pulled from her lips.

A hurried round of knocks at the door inside broke them apart with all the practiced speed of many near misses in the past. Mai gave a loud sigh of frustration as her lover swept wordlessly past her to answer the interruption, her own pale pink lips set in a thin line of impatience.

"Natsuki-san." The Fifth Column began talking as soon as the door was cracked wide enough. Everything irritated about Kruger's demeanor vanished neatly under a politely interested expression. "Everyone—_nearly_ everyone—feels terrible to have upset you so." She insisted her way over the threshold without invitation, and scrutinized Mai shrewdly as soon as she spotted the other woman.

Mahya Blythe disapproved of as many people as she could and considered Miss Maria to be too soft in her dealings with deviant Otome when it came to romantic affairs. Her personal mission was to enforce the Otome code of honor, which made Nao and herself natural enemies, and when people questioned her, the blonde viciously embraced the challenge.

Additionally, Mahya believed no one and held the benefit of the doubt in contempt. This was undoubtedly why the minute she registered the idea of the Gakuenchou and the Black Valley queen alone in an enclosed space was the minute she became very mistrustful.

"Now… Tokiha-san, this is a surprise," the caramel-eyed woman drawled, spine straight and proud as she moved in a quarter-circle around room. "I didn't think I'd be interrupting company."

"You must have suspected something like it," Natsuki pointed out, "because you came to Mai's room in search of me."

"I was yet unaware of Tokiha-san's presence." Rich mocha irises eyed the redhead beadily. "I'm sure the story is fascinating."

It was in that very uncomfortable moment that Mai realized that this woman, like many others, was of the opinion that the Zipang royal was a deserter of Garderobe. If Natsuki deduced this as well, she didn't show it. Instead, the ivory-skinned woman smiled faintly and disarmingly.

"Regardless, the others are looking for you, Miss Kruger—and Yohko-sensei, yourself, Mai-san. Won't you walk with us?"

Mai had no idea what to say to that, considering her state of dress—rumpled robes with sticky sterile pastes coating her forehead and congealing in her hair. Floundering—rejection didn't seem to suit the dark-skinned Column's already-strained patience—the attractive redhead was spared from igniting Blythe's furthered resentment by—_Founder_, whatever would she do without her?—Natsuki.

"It would probably be better if we gave Queen Tokiha some privacy so she might freshen up beforehand," the cultured bluenette coaxed the discussion to a soft landing. And, sure enough, far from being offended by the interjection, Mahya-san inclined her head alertly. The Black Valley Otome barely reigned in a grandiose roll of her eyes as the blonde proceeded to ignore her, addressing herself exclusively to her lover with obvious high regard.

"Very well," Blythe clasped her hands behind her back with dignity, nose in the air. "Please come with me, Gakuenchou."

"A moment first, I think."

Transferring her hands to her hips, the amber-eyed woman hummed discontentedly. "Suit yourself," she said over her shoulder just as the door closed behind her.

Neither Otome could conjure up a sentence until the Fifth Column's footsteps had long-since faded. Even then, Mai forced her tongue to hold until there was no more bearing it.

"I won't miss people interrupting us," the curvy Otome followed through on her eye roll at long last, gathering the clean robes that Natsuki had brought during the Black Valley Otome's unconsciousness.

"You aren't particularly patient."

"Not when it comes to things I want."

"Do you think I want to be associated with such restlessness?" the bluenette taunted.

"And you know what _I_ want…?" Mai leaned closer, spooning herself against the bluenette's slender form. Smoldering forest eyes shadowed with thick dark lashes as delicate eyelids lowed over them. Natsuki's chest rose and fell irregularly as her breathing picked up. Mai opened her mouth:

"…to get this paste off."

The look that Natsuki donated for her efforts was—first slack-jawed, (priceless on its own,) but when she recovered her senses—positively furious; not to mention embarrassed. Mai almost couldn't blame her for turning viciously on her heel, but it didn't stop the redhead from pulling her back by the wrist.

"Ah, you're angry. That's not good."

The Gakuenchou leveled her with a powerful glare, tugging her arm away. "You are _such_ a—"

"—wonderful fiancée?" supplied Mai.

"—_jerk_!"

"It wasn't _my_ fault your mind was on _quite_ another track," the queen pointed out logically. She paused, acquiring a leading smirk. "Or maybe it was…?"

The bluenette's wrist slipped from the grip with a bit of wriggling. "If you're through amusing yourself, I have a Court to see to."

She wasn't.

Whispering scarcely beneath a breath, Mai drew her back in. "Have I been _bad_, Gakuenchou?"

Natsuki flushed. "Now you're just being ridiculous." She moved towards the exit, only to be swept up in her lover's insistent arms.

"Aren't you going to punish me?"

"And you're skipping to the middle!" the bluenette protested.

"Yes, well, no time to start from the beginning with Saint Mahya lurking about," Mai claimed dismissively, tracing the elegant column of the ivory-skinned woman's neck. "Personally, the ending's my favorite part anyway."

Natsuki looked liable to kill her. Mai smiled sweetly.

"I thought you were leaving?"

Cursing—probably—in yet another language from her vast arsenal, Natsuki was out the door without so much as a by your leave. A suppressed smirk still played about the Fire String Ruby's lips even as she discarded her two-day-old uniform into the dirty laundry basket in the corner of the room. Wrapping her body in a soft cotton towel, Mai absently reached up to touch the goo-covered lump at the top of her head that had been a sizable gash only a few hours previously while padding to the luxuriously-stocked bathroom connected to the suite by a chocolate-brown door.

As the water warmed in the pipes from the freezing temperatures outside, the redhead settled herself at the writing table, wincing as the cold air bit at her exposed legs and arms. But this letter was a long time in coming, and a longer time in going if she waited and relied on the rather slow post at Black Valley to get the card to Zipang.

_Dear Takumi…_

It wasn't going to get any easier to break the news to her much younger brother to whom she rarely spoke—citing the slow post to and fro Black Valley, yet again—and rarer still saw—Black Valley was an hour away from Garderobe (from Natsuki, to be more precise), but more than a day's travel to Zipang. The fact remained, though, that the brunet was family.

_I'd have rather said this in person, but there's really no telling the soonest I could see you and the last thing I desire is for you to find out through some other source… I know we haven't spoken at length in personal conversation since my return, but a reason—_oh_ and what a reason it is—exists that you should know._

A softer smiled curved Mai's lips.

_I'm in love._

It was a thought to last her a lifetime.

The short-haired woman spent the next few minutes scratching out a draft of an explanation, a faraway glint to her gaze, and then transferring it over to digital format by use of a little computer-like slate that took ages to find all the little buttons for each letter. She almost didn't hear it when the door slipped open and shut with only the barest amount of time for someone to get through between swings.

"You're very forward today," Mai drawled, sending along the message electronically to Zipang without bothering to turn fully in greeting her lover. "I'm barely clothed."

"Spare me. There's nothing of yours I haven't seen before."

The Meister nearly cut her tongue on the edge of her teeth as her neck jerked unconsciously in the direction of a rather unwelcome voice.

"Miss Maria!" Mai didn't want to say it, but did. Abruptly, she both stood and tried to prevent herself from standing in her shock and embarrassment of being caught in only a towel. As a result, she stumbled back to the side of the chair, gripping the desk tightly with one hand to keep herself from tripping all the way while clutching her towel with the other to keep it from slipping.

Her mind turned completely paranoid, reading a dozen different implications from the greeting alone—never mind the odd glint existing in the jade-eyed woman's hardened stare. The steel-haired matron tended to bring out the worst in people—even the majority of the Columns seemed entirely disconcerted when in her presence. It didn't help that the last time she'd heard Miss Maria's voice had been through the Gakuenchou's door with Natsuki gloriously nude in bed and Mai scrambling into her lingerie at the centre of the room.

"Can I do something for you?" the redhead managed to ask in a respectably firm voice.

"That remains to be seen, though I have such assumptions that you can."

_No Natsuki to hide behind today…_ "Alright, then," Mai answered gamely.

A grimace of a smile flinched across Miss Maria's expression. "Perhaps I should proceed by first stating that it was convenient of you to clear the courtyard this afternoon, considering how ill the Gakuenchou had taken this morning."

It could have been because it was Miss Maria saying them, but already Mai could spot a handful of remarks from the opening of the conversation that made her decidedly nervous. Nevertheless, she rallied admirably. "Ill? That's really too bad."

"Very bad for her work ethic, apparently. Today was her fifth tardy this month," Miss Maria informed her as a passing point of interest, claw-like hands clasped behind her back.

_Five minutes is _hardly_ late_. "You might consider giving her a few days off to rest and collect herself, then," Mai replied coolly.

"Advice from the seasoned Black Valley's first year of rule; how…_ illuminating_."

Mai didn't answer to that, considering the most diplomatic reply she could muster was good curse.

"You don't carry very much sway in the Council at all," the matron continued to reflect, not waiting for commentary. "Yet recently Miss Kruger seems all too eager to accept you back into her folds."

Though Miss Maria couldn't have possibly meant to imply it—whether she knew of their relationship or not—Mai couldn't help but flush tomato-red at the phrasing. Unfortunately, the Eternal Recurrence Jasper was just that much quicker in this particular situation, and immediately caught the reaction, responding to it with a scowl of her own.

"Meister Tokiha, you must not be aware of our recent security updates—"

"Why would I know, considering this has been my first visit to Garderobe for several months?" she lied.

"—because this plea of innocence is becoming quite exasperating," Miss Maria continued smoothly as though Tokiha had not spoken. That odd glint from the beginning of the conversation turned decidedly hawk-like, and suddenly, Mai _knew_. She knew that Miss Maria knew as surely as she, Mai, knew that nothing good could come of this new performer in an already very twisted dance.

A thousand panicked reactions occurred to the redhead in rapid sequence, each as hysterically motivated as the last. It was Natsuki that dealt on her feet, not Mai. But there was no turning the situation now—something the curvy Meister knew and felt her heart skip several beats for it.

In the meanwhile, if ever the term 'checkmate' had an expression associated with it, then Miss Maria's would have been just that. Gathering herself and suppressing the thought that she never had been very good at chess, Mai told her: "Say your piece, please. There's no place for games when we both know what this is really about."

"Very well," Miss Maria permitted. "Then allow me to present my hand, as it were…" The older Otome tapped her chin several times in unnerving pause before abruptly slapping it down on the desk, causing Mai to start. "You know, considering the effort with which Miss Kruger cloaked each one of your trysts, I would have assumed that—between the two of you—the idea of staying beyond sight of the live security feeds would have occurred at _some_ point."

"Live—?" Mai echoed uncomprehendingly before something slid into place. "You were _spying_ on Natsuki's bedroom!?" Disgust and disbelief warred for dominance, the former eventually winning out by the time Mai had wrenched her mouth open to speak.

"It is clear to me now that it was a precaution long-overdue," Miss Maria replied coldly. "Before you—and it _all_ began with you, Tokiha-san, make no mistake—Miss Kruger was a royal example of what every Otome should aspire to be. She was intelligent, punctual, _innocent_, aloof—"

"She wasn't really _living_ at all!" Mai burst out, nearly shouting over her. "You didn't mind her being so miserable, though, because it meant that her distance from people made it easy to tuck her away in her tower when you didn't _need_ her!"

"Hold you _tongue_—"

"And for your personal information," the redhead disregarded her, "the Gakuenchou still is all those things that make her something to be admired by students and leaders alike… You could have seen that if you'd wanted to."

Jade eyes smarted with rage, and for one shining second, Mai considered the possibility that she might have a battle on her hands.

_Good_, she couldn't help but think mutinously. _There are few things I wouldn't give for a free shot at that bas—_

Unfortunately, composure settled itself on the matron's lineless face a split-second later. An unpleasant slyness overtook the wrath, and it wasn't anything like Natsuki's icy beauty.

"Still, I was a bit moved. Turning the Gakuenchou into your own personal…" Miss Maria paused, lips curling unpleasantly, "_courtesan_ is no mean feat."

Crescent indentations appeared in Mai's palm from the tightness of her nails pressed into them. _That word_. "I _love_ Natsuki, and she loves me."

"And yet your involvement is not an honorable one. If you care at all about the Gakuenchou, you'll break off the engagement."

"I care about _Natsuki_," Mai corrected tightly, recognizing the difference. "And I feel obligated to warn you that she is _more_ than your match where power is concerned," the lavender-eyed woman bit out in addition, neglecting to mention that the betrothal wasn't exactly finalized anyway, "politically _and_ within Garderobe's hierarchy. You care about your own means and ends as opposed to Natsuki's, so feel free to drop that pretense… As an aside, you have only your word."

The latter statement, it turned out, was something that the silver-haired woman had been waiting to address. When Mai said it, some of Miss Maria's ire slipped away to be replaced by the infuriating manner of one who believed themselves to be irrefutably right.

A black rectangle with a patch of labeling tape in the centre was offered up for the redhead's inspection. Mai recognized it as a video cassette the likes of which Natsuki had shown her once during one of their 'sleepovers', and pursed her lips together. Something foreboding lingered in the air as the strict Otome paused, taking pleasure from the redhead's anxious state.

"It pains me, really, that it should come to this," the black-garbed Meister lied through her teeth, "but when crudity is presented, it can only be repelled by equally crude methods. I have an ultimatum prepared for you, complete with consequence and incentive."

"Joy."

And so Miss Maria pronounced the worst statement she could have there in the centre of the State Guestroom. "You will break off the engagement to Miss Kruger, or the entirety of Earl shall be privy to just how you _enjoy_ your visits with her. Left implied: your reputation shall be set thoroughly to flames along with hers; and while perhaps her status as Gakuenchou is the price to be paid for your hand, you might have the courtesy to appreciate her first personal-life scandal. I'm so certain Miss Kruger will thank you for it on her first day of betrothal."

The room dropped several degrees as even the sun itself seemed to shy away from the feral rage zinging through Tokiha's veins. It was close—nearly kin—to that invincibility that had overwhelmed her not long ago at all. The frightful recklessness that Natsuki had admitted sent waves of defensiveness through the Columns, raising their natural hackles, kindled at the back of her mind like the beginnings of a bonfire.

"You are through controlling her. Please leave."

"You are hardly in a position to give—"

"Leave _now_."

Her expression must have been very dark indeed because no sooner had Mai given the healthy suggestion then Miss Maria was loosing interest, turning away towards the door. Mai was still seething silently when the Otome paused on the threshold, and opened her mouth to inquire rather nastily if the woman had gone senile enough to forget the function of the doorknob too when the Gakuenchou's advisor spoke again.

"I am disappointed, in a way. Miss Kruger would have at least… but you're no Kruger. In yours and the Gakuenchou's best interest, it had _best_ stay that way. But if I hear breath of you informing her of this… _deal_, then you will have fast-tracked the pair of you to the front news page. Consider that."

And then she was gone.

To Mai's credit, she held herself in check just long enough to insure that Miss Maria was out of hearing range before sending a spherical vase at the edge of the desk sailing through the air until it came to a crashing halt upon vicious contact with the door.

"She is really, _really_ something," the redhead groused, storming into the bathroom with a dramatic slam of the door. Mai felt like a little girl that had been robbed of her promised fairytale ending. The pieces were all there—a kingdom, a princess, a _witch_—but they weren't coming together very well at all.

Pressing her forehead against the cool tile, the redhead sighed as comforting warmth cascaded down her back.

_Marriage_, she decided, _is not for the cowardly_.

* * *

It was some time later that Mai finally removed herself from the steam-filled room, albeit reluctantly. There was no telling if Miss Maria lurked in the antechamber, recalling some additional bad news that she was most eager to impart. Worse still, Natsuki herself might be waiting—which normally Tokiha would enjoy, but now dreaded in that she might let slip the entire affair before truly deciding what course of action to take.

Weighing all her options while dressing, the queen eventually pressed against the bathroom door, where it gave way to cold air and the sounds—both dreaded and enthralling—of a scratching pen.

The bluenette sat curled at the foot of the bed, a sheaf of papers balanced in her lap supported by a thick tome. Her spidery script glinted in black ink under the sunlight filtering in through the diaphanous curtain drawn across the balcony door. Indecisiveness seeped into Mai's blood, forcing doubt around her heart and uncertainty in her mind.

It was approximately then that Natsuki noticed her—or at least the bluenette had left her alone this long to sort out her thoughts before coaxing her back to reality.

"How was your visit to Yohko-sensei?" asked Natsuki absentmindedly without pausing from her multitasking.

"Fine," Mai answered automatically.

_Natsuki would know what to do. _

"That's good…"

"Natsuki—" She steeled herself to inform the girl about Miss Maria's disturbing declaration, but the words stuck in her throat; she tried again. "Natsuki…"

"Yes?" the emerald-eyed Otome prompted, setting down her pen.

On the other hand, if Natsuki decided that a confrontation was in order, Miss Maria would know beyond a doubt that Mai had forgone their understanding. From there it would be only a matter of time before the threat was made good on.

"Natsuki… I've finished with it," the saffron-haired female ducked out at the last minute, chagrinned but indicating the digital slate that she'd used to send her little brother the letter for her lover to take.

Barely glancing at the object as she placed it next to the rest of her items, Natsuki surveyed the standing Otome, slowly unfurling herself on the spot. "Are you alright? You seem unwell."

"I'm fine," said Mai in a tone that implied 'drop the subject'.

The bluenette obliged, switching tactics. "Did Yohko-sensei want something?"

The saffron-haired woman smiled disarmingly while mentally fabricating. "Just to talk."

"I'm _sure_; yet another person to suspect of ulterior motives."

Mai laughed delightedly. "Your Court of Columns must have been unpleasant to have returned you to me in this suspicious mindset. What did they wish of you?"

Natsuki tucked her long hair behind her ears, a dark expression slinking across her fine features. "It would be interesting to know. Mahya-san certainly skirted around the reasoning enough."

"I don't suppose they could be _sorry_…" Mai feigned thought. "No, that's too obvious."

"People aren't sorry," said Natsuki.

"Now, now." Mai paused, only just noticing a tray of silver laden with coal-like things, which looked as though they smoldered there on the platter. "What's this?" Mai eyed the food ravenously. Natsuki pretended not to notice.

"I made you _nicętǐęs_."

As though the bluenette had declared something alarming, Mai's gaze turned decidedly pained at the prospect. Natsuki narrowed her eyes and continued, "but then I burned them and sent Mahya to fetch these from the market instead."

With rather uncalled for relief, Mai exhaled loudly and edged closer to the plate, sampling one of the crisp cuts of lava-red dough while savoring the nutty flavor of the Zipang dish. "Oh, they got this just right! I've always preferred cinnamon to cloves, but… anyway. Let's agree that I do all the cooking in our future."

"And you wonder why I never do nice things for you."

Tokiha leaned back, taking a dainty bit from the pastry of solid spice before offering it to her lover. Natsuki's nose scrunched endearingly; Mai pretended not to notice. "You're always doing nice things for me, though."

"It always seems as though you do me one better each time."

A slim hand reached out and intertwined their fingers. Mai raised a brow in inquiry, distracted, but Natsuki's eyes were on the place where their skin touched. The redhead realized rather suddenly that her lover had actually donned a pair of silken gloves at some point after leaving the room with Mahya-san. She hadn't noticed the subtle difference in color—or even subtler change in texture—but up close there was no mistaking the synthetic imitation of the Second Column's skin. An indiscernible bump on the girl's ring finger signified that the metalwork was still there, but turned so that the stone faced the palm under the glove instead of jutting up as a more noticeable oddity.

"I'm not sorry," the Gakuenchou admitted quietly. "Not nearly as sorry as I should be, I think. And I don't want you to be sorry."

"I'm not sorry either," Mai promised.

"Good."

The two didn't speak for several moments. Mai allowed herself to be tugged into a sitting position on the edge of the bed as Natsuki shuffled her work out of the way in halting movements—as though the concept of leaving an assignment alone was physically difficult. She completed the act one-handed, Mai unwilling to relinquish the mutual hold that connected them both. When finally both females were still, a companionable silence fell. The sun still hovered in the sky, sparkling like a jewel despite the efforts of winter's subterfuge creeping steadily across the foliage. Mai couldn't wait to just sit—exactly like this—with Natsuki every day in Black Valley, simply soaking up each other's company with the wedding bands around their ring fingers promising a new sun for each tomorrow.

Mai said: "Being sorry is overrated."

Natsuki smiled reservedly, emerald eyes turned away.

It wouldn't occur to Mai until much later that Yohko made no attempt to contact her for her missed appointment, which was then never mentioned again.

* * *

**The Inquisition**

So what's the deal? **Are you starting to give up** on this fic?

Not in the slightest! I know I give people a scare by vanishing into the mist for awhile, but I'll _always_ come back. The reason things are so slow is because I actually never planned anything in advance for this fic after chapter one. This story was a procrastination destination while I was writing _another_ story, and so is technically a bastard (in many senses). O.O Now that I'm taking it seriously, I'm putting more thought into the plot… I actually really like the idea of Mai and Natsuki being formally married and all the drama that would doubtlessly accompany it, so I've got to finish it, right? :D

I can appreciate that Natsuki isn't being masculinized here, but I feel like **Mai is a little guyish** in their relationship too.

When I first read this review, I really sat down and thought about it; now I think a fair point is being made. I'm afraid I've done the MaiNat pairing a disservice, and here's why. When I started this fic (aside for the reason I already admitted), it was to… feminize Natsuki, I suppose, with relation to other fics' take on her. But it was never supposed to cost Mai _her_ femininity, either. That's not to say that anyone making that trade on purpose in their own fic is in the wrong—they aren't. I just never intended it to be this way, and when someone pointed it out to me via review, I had an "Oh shit" moment that needed addressing.

I'll try to fix this as I move along with the fic, but know that I can't check myself enough to erase what I'm already feeling for the MaiNat pairing. To me, Natsuki can be so delicate, and she's always under a lot of pressure—two things that I don't see people picking up on in the fics I read (more the former than the latter, though). But now that it's been brought to my attention, I'm already starting to shift Mai's behavior a little, which I hope is evident in this chapter.

* * *

So… This is sufficiently awkward. Have I mentioned I have no concept of time? But don't think about that now… Say! (_Distraction time!_) One of you guessed (correctly, even,) who witnessed Mai and Natsuki, um, _getting horizontal_. **Atra Ventus** figured out Miss Maria like it wasn't even a question, though points go to **Yo**, who drew a reasonable conclusion. Huzzah! :P Speaking of replying to last chapter's reviews (even though were weren't, but we are now, so I may as well spit it out), I'll be doing that tonight, but thanks in a general sense to all you guys! They really get me to slack off from school to pay attention to this fic! T-T And now to do the motion!

(_Sincerely Most,_) **Omake**. (_An alternative to Mai's Letter, perhaps…_) :

With a loud exhalation, Mai crumpled the note, tossing it haphazardly in the direction of the fireplace without bothering to see if it burned. For the second time in what felt like as many hours, Tokiha resisted the urge to simply write: _Eloping. Thought you should know._

Mai's relationship with her brother might have been a lot of things, but this was one area of her life that the brunet was entitled to knowing about.

Resigning herself, the redhead rallied, taking up the pen once more and scrawling determinedly across the page what would eventually become her letter to the Emperor. Of course, typing it over to the data slate was an act of impossible difficulty, and thereafter Miss Maria's unannounced (and unwelcome) visitation pushed thoughts of the missive back further. This was so much so that, by the time Tokiha stormed into the shower, she'd all but forgotten it.

It was the perfect turn of circumstance for Natsuki, who wandered in not long after Mai had become occupied, to discover the ancestor drafts of the final one.

Nearly tripping over a vase that had somehow found its way to the threshold, Natsuki rolled her eyes as she picked it up and placed it once more on the counter. Settling on the edge of the large bed next to it, the Gakuenchou began sorting through the stack of papers she'd brought with her, passing the time until Mai finished in the shower.

It was later—much later—that Natsuki happened to glance up and notice a char-edged paper balled up and perched precariously on the grate. Eyes flickering towards the motionless lavatory door, the bluenette casually swept herself to her feet and crossed to the fireplace. Snatching the stationary from the flames' eager tongue, Natsuki's irises flew across the page filled with foreign lettering with all the ease of a polished jewel educated in the vernacular of _Spinii-Ca_, Zipang's language. The spiky characters of the Eastern system translated fluidly through her mind, each sentence bringing a greater certainty that it really was the most beautiful of the languages.

Much of the letter was scratched out, as though the writer had stopped and started several times, but at certain points, lines still remained—either not crossed out or else eliminated hastily enough that the words were still intelligible. It was those that jumped out at Natsuki, causing her heart to constrict.

_"Perhaps it's luck, or even something totally unrelated, but whatever the case, someone so perfect in appearance and intelligence doesn't toss around her affections easily—_

"—_spare you the details (there's no need to make you a rival in this case!), but it's enough that you know how seriously I take her and how much she means to me—_

"—_two of you will get along infamously, I shudder to admit—"_

"Hey, what's that?"

Natsuki slowly averted her eyes from the paper to her lover's lavender irises, watching Mai absently toweling her hair dry. Dropping the sheet on top of her countless others, the bluenette crossed the room in a few smooth, urgent strides, backing her lover up against the door through which she'd just come. The towel fell to the floor as their lips met in a long, lingering kiss, Mai's surprise fading as she responded naturally to the familiar touch.

Ten years later, Natsuki would still smile slyly when Mai recalled it, the bluenette pressing her wife against the nearest surface in reminiscence of the past, which, for the moment, represented the present and (hopefully) their future.

_Sincerely Most,_

؏_Aurora_


End file.
